Classic Disney meets New Disney
by general wildcat
Summary: Just an idea that came to mind. A series of songfic one shots with Chad and Taylor. Songs from movies like the Lion King, Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty...you get the idea, right? They're all different. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Mangos

Ok so this is some oneshots I'm thinking of doing. They're sonfics, combining the old school Disney music of the Lion King, Little Mermaid, etc, to the new school Disney of HSM. So if you like them then I'll be happy to write more. If more come, they'll most likely be for C&T.  
So this is the first one I thought of. And for the record, I do not own HSM, the Lion King, or Elton John. But man, I love his versions of the Lion King songs! ...That is all.

* * *

Another day marked off the calendar. One week left in counting before she officially started college. Yes, Taylor McKessie was finally off to Yale to major in political science and minor in chemistry. She had gotten in on nearly a full scholarship and was in their honors program, and she couldn't be happier. So now she was in her bedroom packing and preparing to leave. Orientation was in a week, so the students and their parents would be there to visit, and all students living on campus had to spend the week getting settled in. And knowing how organized Taylor was, she was planning to be there the first day students could arrive.

As she went through her drawers to make sure everything in there was emptied, her hand hit something. Taylor blinked and pulled it out. It was her Mango Peach lip gloss. It had been ages since she last saw it. Or at least two months. She had worn it on almost every date she and her boyfriend went on.

Make that ex-boyfriend. One argument a week or two after graduation and Chad Danforth and Taylor McKessie were no more. So now it's two months later since that, so Taylor hasn't spoken to Chad since. But just holding the lip gloss brought back so many memories. She remembered wearing it on one very special night.

_**There's a calm surrender**_

_**To the rush of day**_

_"Hey Chad." Taylor greeted with a smile one day in March during senior year. She walked over to him at his locker and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Do you know what this Thursday is?"_

_"Hm, Thursday, Thursday, Thursday..." The bushy-haired boy appeared deep in thought. He finally shrugged. "Nope, can't say that I do."_

_Taylor blinked. "You're joking, right?" she asked doubtfully._

_Now Chad knew he was one for joking. He was one of East High's biggest pranksters. But for once in his life, he actually seemed serious. "No." he shook his head. "All I know is that we have a date Thursday night."_

_"Right." Taylor nodded. "And do you know why we made it specifically for this Thursday instead of a weekend?"_

_"So I could see my special girl one night instead of just in school?" Chad replied with a smile._

_Ok, that was sweet of him to say. But Taylor wasn't going to fall for it. "Nice try basketball boy, but not even close." she replied with an icy tone. "How could you forget what this Thursday night is?"_

_Chad blinked. He always thought about Taylor. In face he's barely thoguht about anything else since they started dating. Ok, he's thought about basketball too, but for once in his life he's actually had those times where he put a girl before sports. Instead he remained silent._

_Taylor groaned, clearly annoyed. "I can't believe you actually forgot. Of all the stupid, idiotic, lunkheaded things to do...." She tried to hold in the urge to actually yell but only spoke very loudly and very irritated. "Why don't we just cancel then?"_

_"No!" Chad gasped. Wait, he almost gave away his cover. "I mean, I really have something special planned for Thursday. We can't skip on it now. Please Tay?"_

_Taylor rolled her eyes. "I don't even know why I bother." She turned on her heel and walked away._

_**When the heat of a rolling world**_

_**Can be turned away**_

_**An enchanted moment**_

_**And it sees me through**_

_That Thursday night Chad stopped by Taylor's house. He made sure to dress in one of his best outfits. A white jacket over a blue striped shirt, light gray pants, and black and blue shoes. His hair actually looked neatly combed and he made sure his car was completely clean for the occasion. Chad Danforth wasn't going to drive his girfriend around in some stingy smelling vehicle._

_When he knocked on the door Taylor opened it. She stepped out, looking as fine as ever. Her straight black hair was combed neatly with only a few clips in it, a black cocktail-like dress covered her body, and she was stepping in low heeled back shoes. But when she looked at Chad her exprssion was cold. Clearly she was still mad at him._

_"You look amazing Tay." Chad smiled._

_Taylor rolled her eyes. She picked up a small wrapped box and threw it at Chad. "Let's get this over with." She walked over to his car._

_Chad caught the box, but refused to open it. He knew she was mad, but in Chad's mind all it would take was a little time. "Don't be in such a rush to go on this date. It's gonna be way better than you think."_

_Taylor got into the passenger's seat. "After what you forgot, I highly doubt it." She briefly glanced around the car. "Did you miraculously buy a new car or something?"_

_Chad chuckled and shook his head. "I cleaned it just for tonight. Just wait, you'll see." he smiled._

_Taylor quirked an eyebrow. She didn't believe him in the least. And he didn't even open his gift. Though Taylor acted like it was no big deal, deep down it was. Tonight was actually their one year anniversary, the day they officially became boyfriend and girlfriend. And they went all that time without killing each other. Taylor had gotten Chad the perfect gift for the occasion too. And she was planning on confessing her love for him. Yes you heard right - Taylor was in love with Chad. The truth was, she had actually liked him since elementary school, but has been hiding it with hate up until junior year. But then Chad went and forgot their anniversary. So now Taylor wasn't planning to bother._

_But to Chad, this night was more important than anything. He made every plan carefully, and planned every movement he would do just as carefully. He knew that this was a special night with Taylor and he wasn't going to ruin it. But even as he drove and occasionally stopped for the red light, from the way he looked at Taylor it was easy to tell he was in love. Because every time he looked at her, it was the light of his day. Now was his chance to prove it._

_**It's enough for this restless warrior**_

_**Just to be with you**_

_Taylor's eyes widened as the pair walked into the restaurant Chad made reservations at. It looked so expensive! Everyone was in suits and dresses, and the waiting room had nothing but couples dancing. And from what she could tell of the dining room area just through a pair of doors, everything was perfect. Chandeliers hanging overhead, clean white table clothes, small wine glasses (not that she'd drink of course), something other than fast food...._

_In awe she turned to Chad after he checked in. "How can you afford this place?"_

_"I have my ways." Chad shrugged with a smile. "Hope you're not starving yet, cause there's a thirty minute wait for us. Think you can handle it?"_

_Taylor rolled her eyes. "I'm not always that impatient Chad."_

_"I know." Chad grinned as he pecked her on the cheek. "But I think I can lower your impatience level a bit."_

_Taylor cocked her head, almost smiling slightly. "Let's see what you've got Basketball Man. But don't think it means you're off the hook."_

_"You've got a deal, Brainy Book Worm." Chad replied. He took Taylor's hand and led her to where the other couples were dancing. It was a slow song so they tried to do a slow song. Although it was Chad's job to lead, slow dancing was nowhere near his exprtice level._

_"Why don't you let me try?" Taylor told him. "See if you can keep up?"_

_**Can you feel the love tonight?**_

_**It is where we are**_

_**It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer**_

_**That we got this far**_

_Taylor continued leading until Chad got the hang of it. Taylor had to admit, it was a bit humorous to see Chad struggle with what she thought was simple dancing. And maybe this was just him buttering her up, but she had to admit that he looked good under the chandelier lighting. And not just good-good. Try really good. As in fine with a capital f. Ok, now she was just getting carried away._

_When the dance was done and it was time for them to go to the table, Chad and Taylor went into the dining hall. Taylor was still in surprise as she saw everything. "I can't believe you actually got us reservations here." she said._

_"Like I said, I have my ways." Chad said smoothly. "Besides, I know it's a school night, but I've got big plans."_

_"Well they'd better not be too big. You're lucky enough I got all my homework done before coming out tonight." Taylor replied. "And they'd better not make me late for school tomorrow." She picked up her menu and began looking through the food selection. And even though it was a tall menu, Chad could only lean to his side, his head in his hand, and smile at Taylor. And it wasn't just the way she dressed that night that made him unable to keep his eyes off of her._

_**And can you feel the love tonight**_

_**How it's laid to rest?**_

_**It's enough to make kings and vagabonds**_

_**Believe the very best**_

_When they finished dinner Chad led Taylor back to his car. And Taylor had to admit, she was impressed. Chad didn't once act like the Chad she knew. He actually acted gentlemanly for once. And calm. Like he was really serious about something. Even though she wasn't going to show it so easily, she knew something was up._

_"That was a really great dinner." she complimented as she hopped back into the car._

_"Fancy is more like it." Chad smiled. He turned on the engine, "I pulled a lot of strings to get that reservation tonight. The important thing is that you liked it."_

_"Yeah. I did. Thanks Chad." Taylor nodded._

_"Any time." Chad replied. He smirked and added, "So have you looked in the glove compatment yet?"_

_Taylor blinked. "What for?"_

_"See, dinner isn't the only stop tonight. So after every place we hit you're gonna find something else." Chad explained. "I took a second bathroom break for a reason you know." he added with a wink._

_Taylor seemed a bit confused. But still, she opened the glove compartment. She couldn't believe what she pulled out. It was a single rose, but still, it was the thought that counted. "Chad, this is really sweet." she told him softly, clearly still impressed. She pecked him on the cheek for the first time that night._

_Chad smiled. "If you liked that then you'll love what's next. Just you wait." And he just sat there in the driver's seat staring at Taylor._

_Taylor raised an eyebrow at him. The engine was running and they were still in the parking lot. "Shouldn't we go there?"_

_Chad blinked. "What?" He shook his head, snapping out of it. "Oh yeah. I'd better drive us there right now."_

_But Taylor couldn't help but giggle at his little mishap._

_**There's a time for everyone**_

_**If they only learn**_

_**That the twisting kaleidoscope**_

_**Moves us all in turn**_

_Chad walked Taylor through the park with her hand in his. Taylor just kept looking around, feeling like they shouldn't be there. "Chad this place is deserted." she said. "I think we should leave."_

_"Not a chance." Chad shook his head. Though it was night, the park was pretty empty. But as they got to a certain area in the park there was the sound of sprinklers. They stopped right as they could see the water hit the grass and fly through the air._

_"Oh no, that is not my second gift out of this." Taylor shook her head. "I am not getting wet from those sprinklers."_

_"A little late for that Tay." Chad smiled with a chuckle. "C'mon." he took her hand and led her through the water. Taylor gasped as she was dragged by Chad against her will. They ran under the sprinklers, getting fairly soaked even though it was a light spray. Then Chad took Taylor by the hands and started spinning her in circles. Chad smiled widely but Taylor could only laugh. His hair became so wet that the bangs nearly completely covered his face and his bushy curls looked more like dreadlocks. That was always a sight to see._

_**There's a rhyme and reason**_

_**To the wild outdoors**_

_**When the heart of this star-crossed voyager**_

_**Beats in time with yours**_

_Fifteen minutes later Taylor collapsed against a tree laughing at Chad's antics. Chad only smiled and ran right over to her, nearly sitting on top of her. His face was only inches from hers. Taylor's hair was wet from the time spent under the sprinklers, and she didn't even expect to get as wet as she did. Her bangs were laying in her face and she was breathing heavily from all the running. Chad was breathing just as heavily. He moved in closer until his forehead was against hers, which oddly enough Taylor didn't mind._

_"So what do I get after visiting here?" she asked once catching her breath._

_"This." Chad replied simply with a warm smile. He leaned in and kissed her softly, but it was one of those kisses that meant something. Taylor kissed him back and put just as much passion into it as he did. Ok, so maybe Taylor had grown a little soft. Or maybe this was just her weakness. Even though nearly every bone in her body was telling her to stop kissing Chad Danforth, her mind or body wouldn't listen. She put one arm under his and onto his shoulder, and her other hand through his now wet hair. Chad's hands went on Taylor's waist and at one point picked up to rub her cheek gently._

_Slowly Chad pulled out of the kiss and Taylor could only return the smile. Chad practically licked his lips. The first words that came out of his mouth after the kiss were: "Mango Peach."_

_Taylor blinked. That was the lip gloss she put on before leaving. "Did it taste that bad? Or is it the way it smells?" she wondered. "I can wear a different one next time. Maybe Berry Cherry or Pomegranite Pink..."_

_Chad smiled and shook his head. "Nah. It was perfect. Mangos never tasted so good."_

_Taylor smiled and cocked her head. "So is that all you have to say?"_

_"Actually there is one more thing I have to say." Chad replied. He leaned in and kissed her once more, which is exactly what his intentions were. They retreated to their original positions; Taylor's hand on his shoulder and in his hair, and Chad's hand on her waist and on her cheek. For a while it was just those two sitting under the tree practically making out._

_**Can you feel the love tonight?**_

_**It is where we are**_

_**It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer**_

_**That we got this far**_

_"I can't believe you tricked me into kissing you." Taylor laughed as she walked beside Chad on the beach. "I'm supposed to be mad at you, you lunkhead."_

_"Hey, I didn't trick you. You're the one who wouldn't push me away." Chad replied with a laugh. "Besides it's not my fault you chose to wear mango flavored lip gloss tonight. That's what pulled me in."_

_Taylor rolled her eyes playfully and shook her head. She decided to change the subject. "So is this the last stop for the night?"_

_"Aside from bringing you home, yes." Chad nodded. He looked at his watch, which luckily was waterproof. "And we're in luck. One hour before curfew."_

_"Don't push your luck." Taylor reminded him. She sat down on the sand beside Chad and he put his wrapped up gift down. But she couldn't help but sigh. Taylor was having a great time, but Chad still didn't remember why it was so special. And he didn't even open his gift so he wouldn't know. "So what are we doing here?" she finally asked._

_"This is where your last gift is." Chad replied. He moved a few feet back and started digging in the sand. Taylor looked at him like he was crazy, but a few minutes later Chad ended pulling a case out of the sand._

_"Do I even want to ask why you had a black velvet case buried in the middle of the beach?" she asked, unsure of how to react._

_"Hey, I had to hide it here where no one would find it." Chad shrugged. He sat back down next to Taylor and handed it to her. "Open it."_

_Taylor took a long look at it, but shook her head before slowly picking up her head to look at Chad. "I can't. Not when you forgot what an important night this was supposed to be."_

_"Maybe you should open it first." Chad said._

_"I can't. Because you forgot tonight of all nights." she replied. "And you didn't even open your gift yet so you don't know what you forgot."_

_"I'll open it after you open yours. I promise." Chad insisted._

_Taylor sighed. That boy could be as stubborn as she was sometimes. She turned back to the case and slowly opened it. Inside was a heart-shaped locket. Taylor's eyes widened as she slowly pulled it out. "What's this?"_

_"Maybe you should read the front." Chad shrugged._

_Taylor turned the locket to the front to face her. "1 Yr?" she asked perplexed, reading exactly what it said. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_Chad chuckled. "Try the back then." he said._

_Taylor turned the locket around. She squinted so she could read the small inscription. "Tay, Happy One Year. Love Chad." she read. She paused just staring at it for a minute until her head jerked to him. "You did remember?"_

_"Of course." Chad replied. "I was only playing dumb when you asked me what today was. I was trying to surprise you Tay. I may forget plenty of things, but there's two things I'm not stupid enough to forget. A big game, and our anniversary."_

_She gave him a doubtful look._

_Chad rolled his eyes. He was caught. "Ok, four things. A big game, our anniversary, your birthday, and my mother's birthday." Yup; Chad and his mom were really close and he knew he'd be a dead man walking if he ever forgot her big day. And don't forget Taylor's temper; she'd have his head if she ever forgot his birthday._

_Taylor couldn't help but laugh. "That's better." she smiled. She looked at the necklace, then back at Chad. "So, love huh?" she asked._

_Chad almost turned red and nodded. "Yeah." he admitted. "I didn't know how to come out and say it, so I thought that this would be the next best way."_

_"Then you'd better open your present." Taylor told him._

_Chad obeyed. He tore off the wrapping paper on his gift and pulled his present out. He chuckled at what it was. "A limited edition Shaq bobblehead and a fifty dollar gift card to Sports Authority." he smiled. He turned to Taylor and shook his head. "You shouldn't have. That's practically a good eighty bucks down your drain. You didn't have to spend all this on me."_

_"And I could have told you the same thing before we went to that fancy restaurant." Taylor replied. She tilted her head slightly. "Read the bottom of the bobblehead."_

_Chad turned the bobblehead upside-down. He could see some plastic covering the bottom; it looked like it was preserving some writing. He read it aloud, "To Chad, A bobbleheaded basketball man for my lunkheaded basketball man. Happy one year. Love Taylor." The smile on his face grew as he looked at Taylor. "So, love huh?" he asked._

_Taylor shrugged innocently. "You know it." she told him. "What do you think?"_

_Chad smiled and leaned in towards her once more. "I think I'm gonna need some more mangos." he replied._

_Taylor smiled back. She leaned in and kissed him once more just as he did her. That's all they did for the rest of the time they were at the beach._

_**And can you feel the love tonight**_

_**How it's laid to rest?**_

_**It's enough to make kings and vagabonds**_

_**Believe the very best**_

Yeah, that's what the Mango Peach lip gloss was to Taylor. The night that she and Chad told each other that they were in love. She hasn't gone through a date without wearing it since. The whole mango thing because their own little inside joke.

And now looking at it two months after their breakup...somehow it just didn't make Taylor feel right. It brought back so many more memories for her. She couldn't just leave it here and not use it again. It meant too much.

So she turned her head to her phone and slowly picked it up. She dialed Chad's number and spoke as soon as he answered, hoping that he didn't hate her after what they went through. "Chad? It's Taylor." she replied. "I know that college for us practically starts in two weeks, but I was just wondering if you wanted to do something today. Just the two of us."

"Don't you have a trip to make to Yale today?" Chad asked from the other line, sounding confused. "You had that plan since you got the acceptance letter. You hate being late for anything."

"I know." Taylor replied. "But I figured that it could wait another day."

No answer right away. Did he hate her? Did he not want to talk to her anymore? She was hoping that he didn't just hang up on her. But instead he said something she never expected her to.

"Are you gonna bring your mangos with you?" he asked in a hopeful tone. "I've been craving them for two months."

Taylor giggled. She held her lip gloss in her hand and nodded. "You can have all the mangos you want."

**It's enough to make kings and vagabonds**

**Believe the very best

* * *

**What did you think, may I ask? Was it any good? I love hearing opinions!**  
**


	2. AfterParty

Ok, my second song fic. It's a little shorter than the first and not really as much C&T as everyone probably wants, but it is there. You know, overall. Like when they first start out. You get the idea, right? So, I'm happy that I got two whole reviews from the first one. XD Better than no reviews, and I like hearing from people. Opinions are good and really, what good is it to write something if no one will read it? Unless it's a diary...which I don't have.  
Anyway, the song in here is "Kiss the Girl". I had Ashley Tisdale's version stuck in my head but I really like the original version as well, so I wanted to try and combine the two a little. More of the lyrics from the original version and the beat and such from Ashley Tisdale's version. So I do not own her, the Little Mermaid, the original song, HSM, any of the characters...ah who are we kidding? You already knew all that didn't you?

* * *

The gym of East High School was more crowded than ever that evening. Teachers toasting the coach, a large cake in the middle, tables for guests, loud music blaring, streamers and decorations held all over…yes, it was what was known for the rest of the year as the after-party. Though its main focus was to celebrate the East High Wildcats victory over the West High Knights in the championship game of the year, it was also a celebration of the Scholastic Decathlon's win over West High as well as the two most unlikely people to gain the leads in the school's next musical. And what did that mean? It meant that the barriers between cliques were now officially broken. Though there had been tension all those years and nothing but arguing with barely any content or friendly moments between the different people, the wall had finally been broken for good.

The after-party was really just the start of it. People were getting used to the cliques being broken down. For a while, most of the students mingled within their own groups so they would be surrounded by familiar faces. But it wouldn't be long before the party really felt like it began and everyone would start dancing with whomever they desired.

_There you see her_

_Sitting there across the way_

_She don't got a lot to say but there's something about her_

Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez were the two students in East High who were happier than anyone else that the cliques were broken. They had met that New Year's Eve at a ski lodge and sang together for the first time, which also hinted at the love at first sight idea, and it all sky rocketed from there. They no longer had to keep their feelings secret from each other but could actually hang out together with other people. Little did they know that there were two people just as happy as them about the shattered barrier.

Chad Danforth was at the snack table getting a drink. He and Troy were joking around as usual, being the best of friends that they were. Troy was the captain of the basketball team and Chad was his right hand man. The dynamic duo, one could say. But of course they didn't come to the party alone. It was obvious that Troy went with Gabriella. And if it weren't for Chad interrupting earlier then Troy and Gabriella would have had their first kiss. But hey, nothing's ever that perfect right?

Both boys took a glance away from the snack table to see their dates talking to each other. Like Troy and Chad were best friends, Taylor McKessie and Gabriella were also best friends. As far as Gabriella was concerned, Taylor was her first official friend at East High. They've had so much in common and got along so well, sometimes they almost seemed inseparable. And while Gabriella had agreed to go with Troy, that was when Chad finally made his move on Taylor.

_And you don't know why_

_But you're dying to try_

_You wanna kiss the girl_

Truth be told, Chad has liked Taylor since middle school. When they were in elementary school he thought she was just a know-it-all, a teacher's pet who stole the spotlight from anyone else in the class and thought that because of her brains she was that much better than anyone else. But then in middle school man did she change. To Chad, it was like a caterpillar transformation. Taylor had become more classy, more headstrong…oh, and let's not forget more beautiful. But did he ever tell her how he felt? No. Instead, partially because of the clique system, he would pick a fight with her and make fun of her.

And now after all those years Chad had done it. He worked up the guts to ask Taylor on a date. The answer was yes. But Chad had never really been serious about girls before. Has he liked other girls? But of course. Have any of them ever lasted? Really, that question can't be that hard to answer. But this one, man how he had a good feeling about her. Chad felt like it was his first official date, like he was with someone who he liked that he thought liked him back instead of going out with a girl just for the heck of going out with a girl.

And though he spent most of his time with Troy since the four of them walked into the gym, Chad had such a hard time taking his eyes off of Taylor.

_Yes, you want her_

_Look at her you know you do_

_It's possible she wants you, too_

_There is one way to ask her_

"Ok dude, you've been staring at her all night." Troy informed Chad.

"Not all night," Chad said defensively, "just since five minutes after we walked over here."

Troy rolled his eyes. Chad always had an excuse for everything. "Well you asked her here, so go dance with her."

"First of all, I'm eating." Chad said, pointing to the bag of chips in his hand. "Second of all, she's talking with Gabriella. And third, I'm talking to you."

"So what'll your excuse be if I go dance with Gabriella?" Troy smirked.

Chad blinked. He just stared blankly at Troy. He didn't have an answer right away, but he did say the first thing that came to his mind. "I'm eating."

Troy rolled his eyes. Chad was impossible sometimes. "You do what you want. I came here with Gabriella so I'm gonna dance with her, and then come back here later for more snacks." He decided. He left Chad lone by the snack table and walked over to Gabriella. Now Chad couldn't hear what they were saying, with a combination of the music, talking of other students, and a slight distance from them. But obviously, from the looks of it, Troy offered Gabriella a dance and she accepted it. The couple walked away, leaving Taylor by herself. Chad briefly watched the two walk away, but his eyes quickly fell back on Taylor.

Likewise, Taylor turned her head to see Chad at the snack table. She gave him a smile and Chad smiled back.

_It don't take a word, not a single word_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

Chad didn't seem to move right away so instead Taylor walked over to him. "Hey." She greeted with a smile.

"Hey yourself." Chad smiled. Still he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her hair actually looked straightened and part of it up in a bun with the rest lying on her shoulders. It was a nice difference from the wavy hair she always had going on, and no headbands for once. And her outfit, man did Chad love her outfit. A red and gold dress forming diamond-like patterns. It was about knee-length, maybe a tad longer, and her red shoes were low-heels. That explained why she looked a little taller.

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Did you hear me?" she asked him.

"What?" Chad blinked, snapping out of his thoughts.

"I said you looked nice." Taylor repeated. She was referring to his black jacket over a green t-shirt, as well as black pants and black shoes. And his bushy curly afro actually looked like it was combed more than a usual day at school.

"Oh, thanks." Chad replied. "You look really nice, too."

Taylor smiled a thank you. "So how about a dance?" she asked, hoping there was no nerves in her voice.

Chad paused for a minute. "Uh…you know what actually, I'm gonna stay here a little longer and greet some of the guys from the team."

"Alright then." Taylor nodded, a combination of disappointment and ice in her voice. She turned on her heel and walked away.

Chad hit himself on the head once she was gone. Him and his big fat mouth.

_Shalalalala_

_My oh my_

_Looks like the boy's too shy_

_Ain't gonna kiss the girl_

_Shalalalala_

_Aint't that sad_

_It's such a shame_

_Too bad you're gonna miss the girl_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

Now Chad was mingling with his friends and teammates Zeke Baylor and Jason Cross. Jason had scored a sorta-kinda-date with Kelsi Neilson, but as far as everyone knew they were just going as friends. Nothing sparked just yet. And Zeke had managed to win Shrapay Evans over, but it turned out she was only going with him if he promised she'd get more of his cookies. Man was Zeke a good baker. Sharpay's brother Ryan thought so as well. If Sharpay didn't become addicted to Zeke's food so quickly then Ryan would have surely eaten most of it.

Chad turned his head to see Taylor talking with some of her Decathlon friends, Timothy Martin and Martha Cox to be exact. Turned out that the two of them had done a group thing with the rest of the Decathlon kids and were looking around for other familiar faces. Chad could barely overhear their conversation, but he could make out a few things.

"It's almost two hours into the party and you guys haven't danced yet?" Martha asked.

"No, he keeps avoiding the idea." Taylor shook her head. "I don't know, maybe it was a bad idea to come here."

"Well, we got a big table just for all us smart folk." Tim shrugged. "I mean, Gabriella will probably be joining Troy at his table, but if you wanted to come we were going to try and stump each other with difficult mathematical equations from subjects like Calculus, Geometry, and Physics. Maybe even a few from Chemistry."

"That is, if you don't mind me hitting the dance floor a few times in between everything." Martha quickly added, after revealing that her secret passion was hip-hop dancing.

Chad didn't think Taylor would go for it so easily. _Tell them you have a date._ He thought. _You're sitting with me tonight._

But to his dismay, Taylor said otherwise. "I think that sounds like a lot of fun." She agreed with a smile. "Count me in." And then the three of them disappeared into the crowd.

_Now's your moment_

_Floating in a blue lagoon_

_Boy, you'd better do it soon_

_No time will be better_

_She don't say a word _

_And she won't say a word _

_Until you kiss the girl_

As everyone sat down to have a slice of the victory cake, Coach Bolton (also known as Troy's father) made a toast to his basketball team and gave a quick speech saying how proud he was of them and everything, He concluded with his own statement, "Well you know what they say about basketball champions. Let them eat cake!"

Everyone started digging into their slice. And even when people didn't do it right away they would go to the dance floor. Martha and Ryan had a little contest to see who would win a dance-off. And they almost found out the answer until Jason had to step in and do some very bad Irish tap dancing. Jason wasn't even Irish; he just liked to joke around with the dance, thinking it was just plain fun. But as soon as he did that, Martha and Ryan left the dance floor and everyone turned their heads away from Jason. He had to wait until the last ten minutes of the dance to get everyone's respect back.

But Chad couldn't focus on the cake or the friendly dance-off. He was too busy thinking about Taylor. It was like she was ignoring him now. And Chad didn't want it to be like that. How was he going to explain this to her?

So while everyone else was still eating and hardly anyone was on the dance floor, Chad put down his fork and walked over to the table Taylor was sitting at. Luckily no one saw him there yet, even if he was hard to miss, so he used it to his advantage. He leaned over and gently tapped Taylor on the shoulder.

_Shalalalala_

_My oh my_

_Looks like the boy's too shy_

_Ain't gonna kiss the girl_

_Shalalalala_

_Ain't that sad_

_It's such a shame_

_Too bad, you're gonna miss the girl_

Taylor turned to see who it was behind her. She crossed her arms and just looked at him coolly. "Oh, it's you."

"Yeah." Chad nodded. "I was wondering if you wanted to dance."

"Sorry," Taylor replied, "but I'm here with my friends. You know, the people I should have come with. They're not the ones ignoring me all night now are they Danforth?"

Chad was taken back. Sure, they had nicknames for each other…insulting like nicknames, but still nicknames…but they never called each other by their last name unless it really meant something. So instead of just sticking around and listening to her insult him in front of her friends, Chad took Taylor by the hand and led her over to the side.

"What are you doing?" she practically demanded.

"I just want to dance." Chad replied.

"I asked you that almost two hours ago." Taylor replied, folding her arms. "And you declined. You gave me the idea that you weren't even interested. Now why ask a girl to a party as a date if all you're going to do is ignore her?"

"I didn't meant to…" Chad started.

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Look, you can stop playing dumb. Troy asked Gabriella so you thought you'd be nice and ask me. It didn't even mean anything, it was all some pity date to you or something. What, do you really think I need a date to be happy? Or a date to go anywhere with?"

"No of course not." Chad shook his head.

"So then explain tonight to me then." She replied. Taylor was about to go on when she was suddenly silenced. Chad leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't a deep kiss and it wasn't long, but it was just enough to keep her quiet so she could listen. But Chad didn't know what else to do. It looked like no matter what he said or did, nothing would get her attention or changed his mind. That's why, even if it was for less than three seconds, he planted a kiss on Taylor.

_Shalalalala_

_Don't be scared_

_You'd better be prepared_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

_Shalalalala_

_Don't stop now_

_Don't try to hide it how_

_You wanna kiss the girl_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

Taylor blinked as he pulled away. For a minute she couldn't even say anything. And we're talking about the girl who always had a comeback.

Chad took a deep breath once he pulled back, hoping that she didn't hate him for anything he was doing. "Look, I wanted to come with you. I didn't wanna ask anyone else. And I've been wanting to go out with you for a long time now." He confessed. "But I've never been on a date-date with a girl before, so maybe I got a little overwhelmed."

"Don't try to play me." She shook her head, even though her icy tone was melted. "You've gone out with girls before."

"But not an official date. Not with one I really liked who like me back." Chad replied. "Or…I mean…I think that likes me back….I mean…." Oh man now he'd done it. He couldn't figure out what the heck he was trying to say.

Luckily, Taylor put a finger to his lips to keep him quiet. "Relax, lunkhead." She teased. "I do like you. But there's no reason to be nervous. And if it makes any difference, I've never really been on a date either. I was just trying to enjoy tonight with my friends and with you. So when you said you didn't want to dance you gave me the vibe that you weren't really interested."

"I'm sorry Tay." Chad apologized once she removed her finger.

Tay. She liked the sound of that. "Well if you really want to make it up to me," she offered with a slight smile, "then we can dance."

_Shalalalala_

_My oh my_

_Looks like the boy's too shy_

_Ain't gonna kiss the girl_

_Shalalalala_

_Aint' that sad_

_It's such a shame_

_Too bad, you're gonna miss the girl_

A smile grew on Chad's face and any nerves he had before suddenly disappeared. "I'd really like that." He held out his hand to Taylor. She rolled her eyes playfully and took it, then followed him to the dance floor.

_Go on and kiss the girl_

They had just missed a slow song so they went with the faster one. Chad was trying to show off his dance moves but Taylor only rolled her eyes and pretended to push him away. Chad smiled and pushed his way back over to her.

"You can't get away from me that easily." He teased.

_Go on and kiss the girl_

_Kiss the girl_

"I guess I can't." Taylor teased right back with a smile. She leaned up closer to his level and gave him a peck on the cheek. It wasn't exactly what Chad hoped for, but it did make him more than happy. He couldn't get that one moment out of his mind for the rest of the night. Talk about some first date!

_Go on and kiss the girl

* * *

_Kinda corny in my opinion, but what are you gonna do, right? What do you think? Trust me, there's probably better ideas where this one came from. So lemme just sit back and figure out which song's gonna be next. Maybe one from Hercules...or Cinderella...maybe 101 Dalmatians? XD


	3. Sunscreen, Pool, Beach Chair

This is the third songfic here in this story. Another one shot of Chad and Taylor. Sorry, I don't do the name combining thing yet. But I will when I'm good and ready. xD Sorry, just wanted to get that out there. Anyway, the song for this chapter is "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes". I've used the Disney Channel Circle of Stars version. Man I miss the DCCS, don't you? They only did like two songs!  
Anyway, I don't own the song, HSM, etc etc, and I apologize if any of the lyrics are off a bit.

* * *

"_Oh my God, a shooting star!" eight-year-old Taylor McKessie gasped as she pointed up to the sky. She led her friend Chad Danforth away from the Fourth of July picnic their families were having in the park and brought him closer to see. "Look!"_

_Chad looked up in the sky, and there it was. "Oh man, that's awesome!" he exclaimed. "Maybe we can grab it and put it in one of our rooms!"_

_Taylor giggled. "No, silly." She replied. "My mom said that when you see a shooting star you're supposed to make a wish."_

"_Hey should we make a wish now?" Chad asked eagerly._

"_Why not?" Taylor shrugged. "Close your eyes and make a wish."_

_Chad obeyed and closed his eyes, as did Taylor. They kept their eyes closed and thought of a wish. As soon as they opened their eyes again after making their wishes, Chad turned to Taylor. "Whatddya wish for?" he asked._

"_We're not spossed to tell." She shook her head. "If we tell then the wish won't come true."_

"_So then how do we know what the other wished for?" Chad asked._

_Taylor thought for a minute. Even at eight years old, she was still the one with the brains. "How about when we're older?" she suggested. "When we grow up and our wishes come true then we can tell what they were."_

"_Ok!" Chad agreed with a smile._

"_Pinky swear?" Taylor asked, holding her pinky out to him._

"_Pinky swear." Chad agreed as he shook his pinky finger with hers._

**A dream is a wish your heart makes**

**When you're fast asleep**

**In dreams you will lose your heartaches**

**Whatever you wish for you keep**

"Finally, we get a break from working!" Taylor cheered one Saturday, the last one in June to be exact. And it wasn't even too long after everyone got jobs at the country club for the summer, courtesy of Troy Bolton, Chad's best friend. Scratch that, best _guy_ friend. And as much as Taylor loved working to get her own money and to think about school and such, it was nice to have at least one day off for a change.

"I know." Chad agreed. "And just think, in practically three months we're gonna rule the school as seniors. Man, I've been waiting my entire high school career for that!" He jumped on the hammock in his backyard, and lay down into what he called a 'kick back and relax' position.

Taylor rolled her eyes at her friend as she leaned up against one of the trees where the hammock hung from. "Chad, you're a jock. Jocks have ruled the school. So technically at least in sophomore year you've run the school."

"Hey, only cause freshmen had no say in anything!" Chad replied defensively.

Taylor giggled and shook her head. "So what should we do on this wonderful day off? Go to the library? Visit a museum?"

As close as Chad and Taylor were, their ideas of fun were completely different.

"I was thinking something more sports oriented." Chad replied.

"Not a chance, Chad." Taylor replied. Her eyes lit up as she got an idea. "I've got it! We could go to my house."

"We've done that since we were kids, Tay." Chad replied.

"And we've come here since we were kids, Chay." Taylor retorted in a mocking tone. Ever since Chad had given her the nickname Tay when they were little kids, Taylor decided to fight back and give him the same thing. It just kind of stuck.

"So what's the difference?" Chad asked.

"You know my parents work almost every day of the week." Taylor replied. "And my sister's still practically moved out of the house since she started college."

"Pool party it is!" Chad cheered, jumping out of the hammock.

Taylor gasped at his craziness and quickly stopped him. "No, no pool party. We're going to be the only ones there."

"So it won't be a real pool party then?" Chad asked.

"If it were while my parents were out they'd have my head and you know it." Taylor replied. She put a finger to his lips and looked at him pleadingly. "Promise me that it'll just be the two of us there?"

Chad blinked. Taylor was so close to him now. And her hand on his lips…he could almost feel the sweat dripping from his forehead. And it wasn't the heat that was doing it either. He never thought a day like this would come when they would get this close. It almost felt like something more.

Nevertheless, Chad nodded. He wasn't going to let Taylor down. He gently moved her hand away from his mouth with his own, practically holding it. "I promise Tay. Just the two of us." He agreed.

**Have faith in your dreams and someday**

**Your rainbow will come smiling through**

**No matter how your heart is grieving**

**If you keep on believing**

**The dream that you wish will come true**

_Oh my god, I can't believe I just did that!_ Taylor thought to herself as she landed on her bed once she was home. _Chad and I were so close…it hasn't been like that since before third grade! Oh man, he's probably so weirded out by now!_

True, Taylor and Chad had been friends since they were little kids. But ever since that night they wished on a star Taylor wanted them to be something more. When she was a kid she didn't want it to be just friends. She wanted it to be a brother and sister bond. Maybe that started to grow when they were in elementary school. But when middle school came the two just became so different. Chad focused on basketball and Taylor on her studies. They hardly hung out anymore.

But every time Chad would pass by Taylor in the hallway she would take note of how he changed. How much more hair he grew and how bushier it got, how much taller he got, if he looked any stronger…. The more he grew the more it just appealed to Taylor somehow. She suddenly didn't see him like a best friend or a brother anymore. She wanted there to be something more.

Sure, maybe they did talk a few times in middle school. And every time they did talk Taylor's heart would race. There were times where she actually didn't know what to say to him. That's how different they were. But this past year, as juniors in high school, they were able to get closer. Chad and Taylor at first worked together to break up their best friends in hopes that it would clear their minds on the things that really mattered instead of a relationship. But it backfired and the two became miserable, leading Chad and Taylor to make it up to them. And once that was done something just clicked between the two. Even Taylor didn't know what that was. But she suddenly felt so much more comfortable around Chad, like when they were younger. The only difference was that she could actually look at him and know what she wanted. There were so many times when Taylor wanted to tell him what she wished for.

_I bet he doesn't even remember,_ she thought. _And he'll just look at me like I've grown five extra head, two more sets of arms, and sprout an extra leg. It took me this long to win back Chad's friendship and I'm not going to throw it all away. _She shook her head rapidly. _Get a grip Taylor, he's just a guy! He's your guy friend. Your best guy friend!_ But as must as she wanted to deny it, Taylor knew that she wanted Chad to be more than just a guy friend. And right now the chances of that happening were slim to none.

**A dream is a wish your heart makes**

**When you're feeling small**

**Alone in the night you whisper**

**Thinking no one can hear you at all**

"Ok Chad, you gotta find something really good to wear." Chad said to himself as he dug through his closet. "The coolest pair of trunks you've got. Maybe something loose?" He shook his head, not even knowing what he was thinking. He and Taylor were just friends, she'd be scared to death of his trunks fell off. And who was he kidding, there's no way she'd ever go that far with him. If you know what he meant.

"Oh man, what it gonna impress that girl?" Chad moaned to himself. He didn't even know why he was making such a big deal out of it. This was just Taylor he was thinking about. But secretly, maybe close to the back of his mind, he knew the real reason. Chad Danforth had fallen for Taylor McKessie.

Corny? Probably. Hard to believe? Depends on who you talk to. Sappy? Most likely.

But whether Chad liked it or not, it happened. He and Taylor were the best of friends when they were kids. But they grew apart, barely talking anymore. Taylor became head of the academic clubs and Chad was the second best to his buddy Troy in basketball, though he was seen as the best man in baseball.

The memories came flooding back to Chad. Even if the two of them stopped talking around middle school, that didn't stop Chad from eyeing Taylor. Even with braces in her mouth she still looked so good. Maybe it was the hormones talking, but he could never take his eyes off of her. Somehow thoughts of Taylor just clouded his mind. So he talked to her a few times in middle school, thinking that would make them go away.

But it didn't work. It never did. Chad only fell in deeper. He got dragged in by those big brown eyes, those pearly white teeth that soon looked straighter than ever when they entered high school, her graceful posture…. Yup, now Chad was losing it. He was slipping into the daydream again. But it was known to happen. Even more so after he and Taylor worked together to try and break up their best friends. The plan worked, backfired, made them take a guilt trip, and end up becoming friends again. So since then they've tried to become closer than ever. And now this summer Chad was not only working at a country club with his best friends, but also working side by side with Taylor. He had wanted to much to take her out on a real date. Not like one of those friend dates they kept going on this past year. He was talking a real date. With a car.

Maybe that was his wish all along. Chad could still remember when they were at that fourth of July picnic and saw the shooting star. Back then Chad had only wished for him and Taylor to grow up together and grow old together. But he knew now that there was so much more behind it than that. He literally wanted to grow with her. But Chad could never confess that to Taylor. He wasn't even sure if she remembered. All he knew was that if he spilled, his wish would never come true and Taylor would never think to look at him again.

**You wake with the morning sunlight**

**To find fortune that is smiling on you**

**Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow**

**For all you know tomorrow**

**The dream that you wish will come true**

Taylor looked around her backyard waiting for Chad to come. "Where are you Chad? It doesn't take that long to walk here." She said to no one in particular.

She shook her head. _Get a grip Taylor._ She thought. _Remember it's just Chad. Your best friend since forever. You're finally talking to him after all this time so don't screw it up again._

If only it were that easy. Taylor couldn't get her mind off of Chad. She unbuttoned the white shirt that was covering her bathing suit and slowly let it fall off of her back. Her suit was revealed as a one piece, a light purple shade to be exact, with a flower like pattern appearing on her right side. She ran her fingers through her straight black hair temporarily, only to remember that it would most likely regain its wavy form once going under water. But Taylor wasn't going to jump in just get. Instead she sat down by the edge and gently let her feet feel the cool water. She leaned back a bit and sighed, feeling much more comfortable.

But as soon as her eyes closed all she could see was Chad. His curly hair, his chocolate shaded eyes that she could just melt in, how muscular he must look once his shirt would be removed…. All she saw was Chad. Now Taylor wasn't a dreamer, but this was most likely her one exception.

_Ok, I'm going to do it._ She decided to herself. The dream hadn't come true after nearly ten years (ok, between eight and nine years to be exact, but only if you wanted to get technical), so instead she was going to take it into her own hands. She was going to find a way to make her dream come true…or at least take a shot at it.

**When you can dream then you can start**

**A dream is a wish you make with your heart**

**When you can dream then you can start**

**A dream is a wish you make with your heart**

"Oh man, Taylor's so gonna kill me!" Chad gasped to himself as he made a mad dash to her house. He had nothing with him but some sunscreen and the shirt and trunks he was wearing. That's how much of a rush he was in. He accidentally fell asleep for almost a half hour. And why was that? Thinking about Taylor. So he grabbed a simple white t-shirt and the first trunks he could get his hands on: a red pair with a blue wave pattern on the sides.

"I gotta get there fast." Chad said to himself in between breaths. He was just hoping that Taylor wouldn't be mad at him. The last thing he wanted to do was to upset her. But all he could think about were the dreams he's had of her. He was hoping that if he was lucky enough, Taylor would let him rub some sunscreen on her back. It made Chad wonder is she would do the same for him. Maybe even put some on his face for him. Nah, he wasn't that defenseless, but he could dream of her hand on his cheek couldn't he?

As soon as Chad arrived at Taylor's, he dropped the sunscreen on the ground and made a jump right into the pool. "Cannonball!" he yelled. And just after he jumped in there was a big splash and snapping Taylor out of her daydreams.

**A dream is a wish your heart makes**

**When you're fast asleep**

**In dreams you will lose your heartaches**

**Whatever you wish for you keep**

"Chad!" Taylor gasped as she pulled her legs out of the water. "What are you doing?"

Chad swam up to the surface and spit some of the water out of his mouth. "Surprising you." He chuckled. "C'mon, jump in. The water's great."

"The water's cold." Taylor replied. "Did you even put any sunscreen on yet?"

"No. did you?" Chad retorted.

"I needed help." Taylor shrugged innocently.

Chad smiled and shook his head. "I'll help." He offered as he climbed out of the pool.

"Nice try, basketball man." She giggled. "But I can get a few parts on my own. You start with yourself and then I'll ask for help."

"Oh c'mon Tay, you don't need to act like you can do every little thing on your own." Chad playfully rolled his eyes.

"But Chay, it's just sunscreen. It's not a big deal." She insisted.

"Trust me," Chad said as he picked up his sunscreen, "I'll be able to see if any spots are missed if I do it."

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Oh alright." She gave in as she sat down on a beach chair. "But only if it'll shut you up."

Chad smiled and opened up his sunscreen. He stood in front of Taylor and poured some onto his hands, then began gently rubbing the sun block onto her arms. He took his time doing it, putting on an act for Taylor that he didn't want to miss anything, but secretly was enjoying every minute of it. He had wanted to just sit next to Taylor and rub her arms for so long.

Once her arms were done he moved to her legs. Man they were so long. He could just see how long they were as he rubbed in the sunscreen. He could think back to all the lady-like positions Taylor's sat in with those legs.

"Ok, now lay down and I'll do your back. It'll be easier that way." Chad said.

Taylor nodded and lay down on her stomach. Chad began rubbing the sunscreen gently into her skin, almost as though he was messaging her back. Taylor could feel the cold water dripping onto her back, mainly from Chad's hair. She shivered for a second until Chad's hand fell on her shoulder. She instantly felt more relaxed and let him continue. Chad kept focusing on rubbing in the sunscreen, only to feel himself be pulled in closer to her. He could see the vision in his daydream so clearly as his head almost rested on her shoulder and beside hers. His head would be just like that, on her shoulder and beside her head and his hands would be around her waist. He sighed contently, only to be interrupted by Taylor.

She could almost feel him breathing down her neck. It sent a chill down her spine, almost like the same chill she felt as he put sunscreen on her arms and legs. But it was the good chill. "Are you finished back there?" she wondered.

Chad snapped out of his daydream and nodded. "Yeah. You can sit back up now."

Taylor obeyed and sat up. She could see Chad only putting a little sunscreen on his fingers now, so she closed her eyes, knowing that her face was next. She almost shivered as his hand touched her face. Chad rubbed his hand gently against her cheek and he could feel himself getting so much closer to her. Right then he wanted to make a move and kiss her. But knowing it would freak her out, he refrained himself from doing so. He moved down to put the last bit of sun block on her neck, only to have Taylor jerk back the second he touched it.

"Tay what's wrong?" Chad asked.

"I'm sorry. My neck is just a little sensitive around there." She apologized. "Maybe I'd better put the sunscreen on over there."

"I'm not gonna hurt you Tay. I promise." Chad said softly.

Taylor looked into his eyes and could feel herself melt again. "Ok." She nodded in agreement quietly. She closed her eyes and held her breath, not sure what else to do. She tried not to jump back as Chad carefully placed the sunscreen on her neck. Once Chad was done, his hand became a gentle fist shape as he put that hand under Taylor's chin. "All done." He said calmly. "That wasn't so bad was it?"

Taylor opened her eyes and rolled them playfully. "Very funny Chay. Now let me do you or else we'll never get in the pool."

Chad nodded and they switched positions. Chad sat on the beach chair as Taylor began rubbing the sun block on his arms. Her touch was gentle, and to Chad it felt so right having her skin up against his.

Taylor couldn't even believe she had a chance to do this. She was actually putting sun block on Chad. His arms felt so strong and so muscular…she had so many dreams of being carried in those arms. Then she moved down to his legs. Man did they look ready for anything. Now she could see so much more clearly why Chad was as fast as he was.

Once those body parts were done she had Chad lay down on the chair, which he did. She did his back first, her touch just as gentle as it was with his arms and legs. Chad felt so relaxed with Taylor rubbing the cream into his back. As Taylor continued, Taylor's eyes fell on the wet shirt Chad had thrown off a few minutes prior, which was now beside the beach chair.

_Crazy lunkhead,_ she thought, _jumping in the water without pulling his shirt off first._ She giggled to herself and then had Chad sit up again. She moved to his neck, which she was quite careful of. But she could only feel herself getting closer to Chad. It made her heart beat so much faster. Then his chest. Oh man, what abs he had! Wait a minute, Taylor wasn't supposed to be thinking like this. Sure she was a girl but she wasn't _that_ much of a girl. So instead she focused on the sunscreen. She rubbed it onto his chest and with every motion she made she could feel his heart beating against her hand. She nearly stopped for a second, wondering why it was beating as fast as hers was.

When that was done, she finished up with his face. Chad closed his eyes and felt Taylor's hand on his cheek. He was ready to touch her hand with his until he realized that it wasn't what he was supposed to do. But he could feel her breath almost on top of him and it felt so right. Taylor couldn't get over herself stroking Chad's cheek over a little sunscreen. But she couldn't help it, getting lost in his facial features. She wanted to lean in and kiss him so badly but she knew it would wreck their friendship. So she made a quick cover.

Putting one last big blob on sun block on her finger, she playfully patted it on Chad's nose so it looked like a swirly white cherry on his face. "Gotcha." She giggled.

**You wake with the morning sunlight**

**To find fortune that is smiling on you**

**Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow**

**For all you know tomorrow**

**The dream that you wish will come true**

Chad's eyes shot open. "Hey!" he gasped, knowing what she did.

Taylor took the opportunity to get up and run into the pool. Right off the edge she jumped in and made a big splash.

Chad rubbed the screen off his nose and jumped in after her. "You are so gonna get it!" he teased with a laugh.

Taylor started swimming around the pool, trying to get away from Chad. "In your dreams Chay!"

"Hey, you felt my legs. You know I'm faster than you!" he laughed, continuing to swim after her. As soon as he caught Taylor, he wrapped his arms around her and spun her around in the water only to have Taylor burst out laughing.

"Ok, ok, you caught me!" she confessed in between laughs. She didn't even struggle to get loose. Now she knew what it was like to be in Chad's arms, how safe and secure she felt. It felt as though with his strength he would never let her go.

Chad smiled to himself as he held onto Taylor. Her slim figure easily fell into his arms and he could completely wrap his arms around her. At that point he couldn't even think about letting her go.

**No matter how your heart is grieving**

**If you keep on believing**

**The dream that you wish will come true**

For a while it was just the two friends in the pool swimming and playing around. Chad continuously tried to get Taylor in his arms and Taylor tried surprising him from behind just to have her arms wrap around his neck. Chad finally gave in and let her do it, and then looked up in the sky with Taylor, in a way, resting on his back and her arms still around him.

"Can't believe we have to go back to work tomorrow. I was enjoying this us time." Chad sighed.

"I know." Taylor agreed. "But you know how it is with work. And Mr. Fulton really works us well. And when you're stuck with Sharpay you never seem to get a break."

"I caddy for her and her family one game and I hated it from the second it started." Chad muttered.

"You really did need a distraction didn't you?" Taylor teased.

Chad glanced at Taylor from the corner of his eye, seeing her head on his shoulder. "So what are you gonna do about it Tay?"

Taylor just giggled. She quickly pecked him on the cheek, then let go of Chad and let herself slip underwater.

Chad froze for a minute, unable to believe what he just got. He briefly rubbed his cheek to make sure it wasn't a dream. He smiled when he knew it was reality.

**(A dream is a wish)**

**When you can dream then you can start**

**A dream is a wish you make with your heart**

**(A dream is a wish)**

**When you can dream then you can start**

**(A dream is a wish)**

**A dream is a wish you make with your heart**

**(Make with your heart)**

Chad took deep breaths as he let himself collapse onto the beach chair once he and Taylor were out of the pool. They had done so much swimming and were joking around so much. He lay down on his back and looked up at the sky, which indicated that the sun would set soon.

Taylor sat at the edge of the chair, taking a towel and gently wiping her head a little. Her whole body was soaked and she could feel water dripping from her hair onto her shoulders. "I don't think I have ever seen you so exhausted in your life Chay." She teased. "Did I work you harder than Coach Bolton before a big game?"

"Who me?" Chad asked in between breaths, trying to sound all cool and confident. "Nah, never. It'll take more than your smart-pants-ness to wear down the great Chad Danforth."

"Oh, so now you're 'the great Chad Danforth' and not just Chad anymore?" Taylor inquired, using air quotes with her free hand.

"It's called building self-esteem, Tay." Chad replied.

Taylor shrugged and put her now wet towel down. "Well to anyone who actually wants to call you that nickname, you'll be the great Chad Danforth." She informed him, her head turned away. Then she turned back to look at him with a warm smile. "But to me you're always going to be Chay."

**When you can dream then you can start**

**A dream is a wish you make with your heart**

**When you can dream then you can start**

**A dream is a wish you make with your heart**

**(A dream is a wish)**

Chad smiled at the warmness of her statement. He looked at her happily and she returned to smile he gave her. "Come here Tay." He signaled her.

Taylor lay down slightly so she could crawl on Chad. Her head was just above his and her hand was on his chest. Once again she could feel his heart beating against her hand.

Chad stared warmly into Taylor's eyes as he put one of his hands over hers and his other hand against her cheek. He knew what he was about to do. He was just hoping that his dream would come true. Barely able to wait another minute, Chad leaned in and kissed Taylor. He could feel her wet body against his and her wet hair pushing against his as well.

Taylor's eyes nearly widened in surprise, but as soon as she took a second to take it all in, she returned the kiss. Her free hand went through his hair by the side before slowly moving down to his neck. And though Chad was surprised that she returned the action, he wasn't going to question it. At the same time he and Taylor just thought,

_My wish came true!_

They slowly pulled away from each other, still feeling so close. They breathed heavily for air and Taylor rested her forehead against Chad's. "I've been waiting for that since we were aight." she breathed heavily.

"It was the wish wasn't it?" Chad asked, out of just as much breath.

"I wished we could be together." Taylor confessed.

"And I wished we would always be together." Chad replied.

Looking at each other, they clearly knew what it meant. There was silence for a minute. Taylor slowly reached for her towel and threw it over the two of them, as though it were just a miniature blanket. Chad smiled at this and let his eyes meet with hers. Then Taylor leaned in and kissed him once more, whic he easily returned. He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her in even closer. Taylor put one hand on the side of Chad's neck and began stroking it, then let her other hand move freely through his hair. They instantly both knew what they wanted and at that moment thought the same thing.

_He's the one._

_She's the one._

**Now you can dream then you can start**

**A dream is a wish you make with your heart**

**Now you can dream then you can start**

**A dream is a wish you make with your heart

* * *

**Yup, that's the third songfic. A little mushier, right? Sorry, I don't go into _that_ much detail with kisses and whatnot so use your imaginations however you wish. Hey, that's the magical things about stories, right? They take you in another world and if you get into it enough you can picture the whole thing. What, am I the only one who that happens to? u_u Ok, if you want me to shut up then I'll just start working on the next one. How does that sound?**  
**


	4. High School Love

So this is the next songfic. First let me thank everyone for the reviews I've gotten on the first three. Hold on a minute...here we go! Thank you iheartchad and taylor, MermaidRam85, cornique chaylor girl, ChaylorTwilightQueen10, and also for people who are enjoying them such as Rose of Hope, Crazykenpogirl, and please tell me i didn't forget anyone else! XD The last one was me asking to make sure I didn't forget anyone. You knew that, right? Good. So in this one, yes another one shot of C&T. This one has the song "So This is Love" be the Cheetah Girls. Some of my favorite singers, I might add. ^^ Now I'm not one for mushy music or stories (please don't ask, I promise I'll have an answer typed up on my profile if you wish to know that badly), but my favorite thing about this version of the song is the Spanish addition in it. No, I'm not Spanish, but I took it for about six years. I'm no Spanish genius, but between what I know of the song and what I wanted to double check online I really hope I got the lyrics right!  
Sorry, this must be one of the longest author's notes any of you have read. My bad. X-X So let me just finish by saying I don't own HSM, the characters, the Cheetah Girls, the music, etc etc.

* * *

"So as soon as the prince saw the glass slipper fit perfectly on Cinderella's foot he knew she was the one. The two were married shortly after and Cinderella became the new princess. And she and the prince lived happily ever after. The end." Taylor closed the storybook gently and placed it on the bookshelf near the little girl's bed.

The petite dark skinned girl looked up at her, her curly hair being the same shade of black as Taylor's and her eyes just as brown. "No more story?" she asked sadly.

"I'm sorry Christina, but that's the end of the story." Taylor apologized, gently rubbing her head.

"But I wanna hear more." Christina whined.

Such a girlie little five year old. Christina was so into the whole Disney princesses and she loved hearing stories and wanted a happily ever after just like they had.

"I'm sorry Chris, but it's time for you to go to sleep. It's getting late." Taylor replied calmly.

"Can Daddy read me a story when he gets home?" the little girl asked hopefully.

"You know it's his late night tonight. He can tell you a story tomorrow, I promise." Taylor replied. She gave Christina a kiss on the forehead and walked over to the doorway, ready to turn out the light. She turned around when she heard Christina again. "What did you say, honey?"

"Were you ever like the princesses we read about?" Christina asked.

"Explain." Taylor replied.

"Were you ever a princess that fell in love with a prince and married him?" she asked.

Taylor giggled. She walked back over to Christina and rubbed her head once more. "I was never any princess, hun. And trust me, your father wasn't exactly a prince. But he just liked to dream he was."

That made Christina giggle, sounding so much like Taylor. "So when did you fall in love?" she asked. "What was it like?"

Taylor couldn't help but smile. Such a curious little girl she was. Now maybe Taylor knew she couldn't get into another story, but it would help pass the time. And at least Christina had no school tomorrow so maybe it wouldn't kill them.

Taylor sighed happily and thought for a minute. "I wouldn't even know where to start." She admitted, though her tone was almost a dreamy one.

_**Ooo-ooo**_

_**This is love**_

_**This is love**_

_**This is love**_

_**This is love**_

"Ok Chad, enough rushing. Where are we going?" Eighteen-year-old Taylor McKessie asked as she followed her boyfriend, constantly dragging her by her wrist. He seemed in a really big rush.

"Tay c'mon. We have to rush or else we're gonna be late." Chad Danforth replied. He kept pulling her, urging her to follow him.

"You know we can't have a late night tonight." Taylor informed him. "The graduation ceremony is tomorrow. And I'm never late for anything."

Chad stopped running for a minute and turned to face Taylor. "Relax Tay. It's all good. I promise you, there's no way we're missing our graduation. I can't wait to hear that speech of yours." He told her with a smile. He playfully pecked her on the nose.

Taylor wrinkled her nose. "Yeah well you're only hearing one speech, and trust me I've written five different copies." She replied. She playfully winked at him and added, "But if you're still up for tomorrow night before the graduation party…"

"You don't even have to remind me twice." Chad smiled widely.

It was true. Chad and Taylor were part of the graduating class of 2008. They were East High Wildcats and the ceremony would be first thing in the morning on the school's football field. The day after would be a major graduation party for all of the seniors at the high school so they could be with the school one last time before heading off to college. Chad had actually graduated, even though he wasn't in as much danger of failing as he thought, and Taylor couldn't be happier to be named the salutatorian of the class. She would have preferred valedictorian, but her best friend Gabriella Montez was named valedictorian. Taylor had respect for the girl; they were equal went it came to brains and academics but because Gabriella had moved so much she even had enough credits to graduate early, and Taylor didn't mind. In fact she fully supported her friend.

Taylor was snapped out of her thoughts as Chad began dragging her again. He just seemed so eager tonight. Taylor had no idea what was on the boy's brain. But when he was like this, she knew there had to be something special behind it.

_**So this is love**_

_**So this is love**_

_**So this is what makes life divine**_

_**I'm all aglow**_

_**And now I know**_

_**The key to all heaven is mine**_

As they apparently neared their destination, Chad got behind Taylor and cupped his hands over her eyes.

"Chad what are you doing?" she gasped.

"Just wait and see." He smiled. "We're almost there."

A few minutes have passed and Chad opened Taylor's eyes. She was amazed to find out that out of all the places they were in, it was Chad's bedroom. And it didn't even look like it always did. There were no clothes covering the floor, no odd scents filling the room, nothing out of place…it actually looked like an organized room. But not completely organized. The lights were out and candles covered the entire room, lit dimly. The bed was carefully made and there was what looked like a small love seat sitting at the foot of the bed and facing the doorway, which happened to be the wall where a TV was. Nothing sports related was seen at all, but rather it was all replaced with a romantic feel.

Taylor shook her head in shock and turned to face Chad. "Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend? And his room?" she asked.

Chad chuckled. "This is where we needed to come. It's just the two of us in here tonight."

"Chad you know my parents don't like me being here. And you know your father isn't crazy about us either." Taylor reminded him. _For one reason or another,_ she thought.

"Yeah but my mom loves you." Chad replied. "She's the only person in the house tonight besides us. My squirt of a sister is on a camping trip this week with her third grade class, and my dad had to take my little brother out of town for some Boy Scout thing." _Of course they said they'd be back in time for the graduation ceremony._ He thought to himself.

"Ok, all understood." Taylor nodded. "But why did we have to rush here? What would we be late for?"

Chad smiled and picked up the remote, flipping it into the air and catching it right-side up. "Your favorite movie happens to be on tonight." He said with a smile. "I thought we'd watch it here. Just the two of us. Our own little pre-graduation party."

_**My heart has wings**_

_**And I can fly**_

_**I'll touch every star in the sky**_

_**So this is the miracle hat I've been dreaming of**_

_**So this is love**_

A smile grew on Taylor face. She jumped up to Chad's level and hugged him, her arms going around his neck. "I love the idea. You're the best Chad."

Chad grinned and hugged Taylor back tightly. "I try. But hey, anything for my girl." He let her down and smiled at her, and Taylor smiled back. "C'mon, the movie's about to start." He led her over to the seat and gently pulled her down next to him.

Taylor smiled and sat down beside Chad. She cuddled close to him so their bodies were touching tight side by side. Chad smiled and put his arm around her shoulder and Taylor snuggled in closer, placing her head on his shoulder. Chad kissed her on the head before putting his head on top of hers. Picking up the remote again he turned on the TV to the exact channel the movie was on. He felt a hand go onto his chest and realized that it was Taylor's, so he put his hand on top of it and smiled like he knew she was.

_**This is love**_

_**This is love**_

_**This is love**_

_**This is love**_

Once the movie was over, Chad turned off the TV and put his head back on top of Taylor's. He gently rubbed her arm. "What'd you think?" he asked softly.

"I think you were pretty crazy." She replied with a smile. "You actually sat through what you would call a corny chick flick. And you didn't complain for a second."

"Trust me, I bit my tongue so hard the entire time it's probably bleeding by now." Chad joked.

Taylor laughed. She picked her head up to look at him and smiled. "Do you need me to examine it?"

"Please Dr. Taylor?" Chad whined playfully.

Taylor giggled and shook her head. "Open up, Chad. Let's see how bad it is."

Chad opened and opened his mouth, letting his tongue stick out slightly. Taylor rubbed her chin, but kept one arm around Chad. She looked like she was deep in thought, like she was plotting something.

"Owz it ook?" Chad asked. Of course with his tongue sticking out that's how it sounded. He was really trying to ask, "How's it look?"

"I don't know Chad. I think we've got a serious case on our hands." Taylor said. Her tone was hard to decipher, but it seemed like an odd combination of seriousness and teasing. "I'm afraid there's only one known cure."

Chad closed his mouth and looked at her, eyes locking. "And what would that be."

Taylor only smiled. She leaned up and kissed him gently, though it was much more than simple kiss. Chad wrapped his arms around Taylor and deepened the kiss and he refused to let her pull away. She started to run her fingers through his hair and rest her other hand on his chest, almost making a flirtatious circular motion which made Chad chuckle in the middle of it all.

_**Until tonight**_

_**Love was a word**_

_**Part of a phrase I've often heard**_

_**A mystery**_

_**Now it's clear as it can be**_

_**So this is love**_

"And I am officially cured." Chad smiled once Taylor broke the kiss. "Dr. Taylor, your treatment was a success."

"I knew it would be." She smirked playfully as she rested her head against Chad's. "That's why I'm the doctor."

"Well next time we play doctor I'm calling dibs on the big guy." Chad replied softly.

Taylor giggled and pecked him on the lips. "You're just trying to seduce me, aren't you?"

"Oh no, I think I've been caught." Chad joked. "I really have to pay up for that." He winked at her, "And I think I know just how."

"And how would that be?" Taylor inquired, playing along.

"A little early graduation gift." Chad replied with a smile. He slowly pulled out of Taylor's grip and stood up, walking over to a nearby dresser.

_**Until tonight**_

_**Love was a word**_

_**Part of a phrase I've often heard**_

_**A mystery**_

_**Now it's clear as it can be**_

_**That this is love**_

"You'd better not be pulling out something for the bed." She warned. "And even if you are, I'm still not doing it."

Chad chuckled. "I wasn't planning on it. Yet." He added the 'yet' teasingly. So instead when he walked back over to Taylor he pulled out a necklace. It was on a gold chain and it had Taylor's birthstone attached as the charm.

Taylor's eyes widened. "Chad you didn't."

"Ah but I did." Chad nodded. "See for yourself." He stepped behind Taylor and gently put the necklace around her neck and then locked in into place. He then stood up and led her over to the mirror in his room. "What do you think?"

Taylor stared at her reflection. Lying perfectly around her neck was the necklace, and even in the dimly lit room she swore she could see it glisten in the night. She placed her hand over it and closed her eyes. "It's perfect." She said softly.

_**Si es amor, Si es amor**_

_**Es lo que hace mi vida divina**_

_**Estoy brillando y ahora se**_

_**Que tengo la llave del cielo**_

Chad blinked and looked at Taylor. He saw her reflection in the mirror and then look back at her. "Tay Baby you're not gonna cry are you?" he whispered.

Taylor opened her eyes and rolled then before turning to face Chad. "You know me better than that." She whispered back. "Taylor Margaret-Angelina-Carmen McKessie does not cry easily, nor does she show her feelings that easily."

Chad took a step closer to Taylor. "You know you can always show them to me." He told her. "That's one of the reasons I'm here." He added, gently rubbing her cheek.

"I know." Taylor replied. "But you also know that I don't let anyone in easily. I don't always need to. And it helps me be stronger when I need to be."

"But you can let me in." Chad replied. "I've been trying to get in for years. I'm this close to you and I can't get any closer unless you let me in. Then when you are ready to let anything you need to out you won't be alone." He shook his head. "Please Tay, don't pick now of all times to be stubborn." He whispered.

"I think I might have to." She replied, taking a step away from Chad. She walked over to his bed where she had pulled off her jacket. Hey, it was an oddly chilly night in New Mexico, she needed it. Taylor pulled out a sheet of paper and unfolded it. "This is one of the speeches I wrote." She told Chad. "But it's not meant for graduation. It's for your ears only. So all I can ask is that you please listen."

Chad nodded. "Ok." He agreed. He walked over to his bed and sat down in front of Taylor. "Lay it on me."

_**Tengo alas puedo volar**_

_**Y tocar las estrellas en el cielo**_

_**Este es el milagro que soñaron**_

_**Esto es amor**_

Taylor nodded. She closed her eyes and began reading the paper, having it almost perfectly memorized word for word, though she did open her eyes once in a while to double check the paper or glance at Chad to see his reaction.

"_This is the day we have been waiting for since pre-kindergarten. Even though we didn't know it back then we knew it would be coming. We were happy enough to graduate elementary school and we were thrilled to leave middle school. But this really is the end, because high school is the conclusion of our public education. College is a new chapter in our lives and, while we may some see people from our class in college, the people that we have grown up with are all going in different directions than us. I know what my path is, and I've always known. Ever since I could walk I've been interested in looking over tables and watch science experiments. I've seen chemicals mix and react and I've observed the same process with humans on a metaphorical basis. Chemistry and anything else science has been my dream, but it has also been my back-up plan. For my true passion is politics. From the first presidential election I've watched I knew that it was where I was meant to be. Stand in front of a live audience and set an example for the country, set off to change the world. I know that is my place. That is my one goal in life. And if that shall fail then I have science. It's a small part of daily life but I am going to show that there can be so much more use for it than the eye sees._

"_But you Chad, you're on a different path. I've known this for years now. Sure, I was always just one of the nerds and you were another jock. And over those years I've come to refer to you as 'lunkhead basketball man'. Granted, other players of your status have earned that title as well, but for you it's different. It was once a form of insult that turned into a term of endearment. I still hold my opinion high about athletes, that they are overpaid and merely used for entertainment. But I also know that for others it's a true passion. Whether they are the entertained or the entertaining. It's all a part of our culture and daily life just as much as science. And in an odd and unexpected way I have come to respect you as more than just another jock. I've had my eye on you longer than I can remember and it wasn't just to prove my own theories about basketball players or anything of the sort. It was more of a secret admiration if you will. And I was fortunate enough that it was able to turn into something more because we both wanted it to and in given time we were able to turn a mere relationship into a commitment. When I think of my years at East High I'm not just going to remember the teachers or the lessons or the special events. I'm going to think of you Chad, and how you made them important for me. And even though I've never really let you see my true feelings, that I was never ready to let someone other than myself in, I'm not going to deny them about you. You may be spoiled, egotistical, arrogant, selfish, and clueless, but you're also strong, athletic, funny, sweet, and at times charming. Those are what won me over and that's what's really going to be important to the next girl you date. That's why that we have to head in our separate directions. I'm off to Yale and you're staying in Albuquerque. I know what my dream is and now you have to go after yours. And I'm not going to hold you back. Because as much as it hurts me to say this as it must hurt you to hear it, I know there is no other alternative. This is where we go down our separate paths and wait for the day that we see each other again. Not as a couple, but as friends if we can be so. But I don't want this to seem like the end. Because if there's anything I'm truly going to remember Chad Danforth for, it's three things. That he was an amazing basketball player and always there for his team and his friends. That he was always the guy to go to when someone needed to feel better because he had the power to make anyone laugh. And that he was my first love."_

_**Si es el milagro que soñaron**_

_**So this is love**_

Chad blinked as he slowly took in everything Taylor said. He could see Taylor sort of looking at him as she waited for his response. And Taylor had no idea what to expect from him. But Chad slowly stood up and walked over to Taylor until he was only inches from her.

"Wait…so was that your secret brainiac way of breaking up with me?" he asked quietly.

"In a way, I guess you could call it that." Taylor nodded in the same tone. She looked up at Chad and saw his face. It was a mixture of many emotions right now. Confusion. Pain. Sadness. Surprise. Doubt. "Who are we kidding Chad?" she told him, filling him in. "We're going to completely different colleges with completely different goals in life. There's no way that through all that we could keep a long distance relationship. And as romantic as it may sound, you know they never really last."

"But I want our relationship to last." Chad said. "I had everything all planned out. We would go to Yale and A of U, text each other or email each other while we were there, see each other here during breaks, be together in the summer…"

"Be honest Chad. Doesn't that seem a bit idealistic?" Taylor asked.

"Maybe." Chad admitted. "But I at least wanted to give it a try. I'm not the same guy I was when we were younger Tay. I don't just look at girls and drool over them like a pig. I don't just use my status as a jock to get whatever I want. You keep me grounded, Tay. I know how different we are but something about us just works. And no girl could ever replace that. Cause I know that what I have with you now, I could never have with another girl. Even if she lets me in easier than you do." He looked right into her eyes as he added, "You're my first love too Tay. But unlike you I'm not ready to let it go."

Taylor couldn't look him directly in the eyes. "We really can't do this Chad. We need to go through this breakup."

"No we don't." Chad replied. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you wanna break up. Tell me that and I promise I'll let you go."

_**Until tonight**_

_**Love was a word**_

_**Part of a phrase I've often heard**_

_**A mystery**_

_**Now it's clear as it can be**_

_**So this is love**_

Taylor looked Chad into the eyes as she agreed to. But when she opened her mouth to speak, she couldn't come out with it. Instead she melted into his brown eyes and almost let herself go. She was actually on the verge of opening up to Chad. She took one look into his eyes and automatically looked down.

"I can't say it Chad. Not to your face." She whispered as she shook her head. "I know we have to do it, but I can't let myself say it."

"Then don't say it." Chad whispered. He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face up to look at him. "And we don't have to do it."

"We'll fall apart because of us Chad. We won't be able to focus on what we need to in school." Taylor replied.

"We won't be apart forever. Just those four years." Chad said. "And it won't even be an entire four years because we'll see each other during breaks. We'll make time in our schedules at school to send even one text message a day if we have to." He slowly wrapped his arms around her and put his forehead against hers. "I love you Taylor. It's taken me I don't even know how many years to realize that. And I'm not gonna let you go now. I'm willing to prove to you that no matter what it takes I'll always be there for you somehow, that I'll always be the one person you can count on no matter how far apart we are."

"I've heard you say that you loved me so many times before." Taylor said. "But I don't think it was ever with as much feeling as right now. And I know that no feeling in my voice can ever express how much I feel the same way about you. If only you knew how hard it was for me to write all that."

"Trust me, it's gonna be just as hard for me to watch you leave come August for Yale." Chad replied honestly. "So let me prove everything to you now."

"What do you mean?" Taylor asked cocking her head.

_**Until tonight**_

_**Love was a word**_

_**Part of a phrase I've often heard**_

_**A mystery**_

_**Now it's clear as it can be**_

_**So this is love**_

"Stay the night here." Chad said. "We don't even have to do anything. We can just lay in my bed and kiss all night long. Whatever it takes to prove to you that I'll be there for you because I love you."

"You don't need to prove anything to me Chad." Taylor replied honestly. "I need to prove to you that we can't last."

"You don't really believe that." Chad shook his head. "If you did you would have pushed me away and be out the door by now."

"Even so," Taylor admitted, "I can't stay. What about my parents?"

"I had my mom call them ahead of time. She's on better terms with them then I am." He answered. "She said that Troy and Gabriella would be spending the night with us here and that you would be home early enough in the morning to get ready for graduation."

"News flash lunkhead, it's just us here." Taylor replied.

"My point exactly." Chad nodded, almost smirking.

Taylor blinked. She raised an eyebrow and then her face turned into a smirk. "You little son of a devil." She gasped quietly.

"I know, ain't I just a stinker?" Chad joked.

Taylor rolled her eyes playfully. She pushed Chad away from her.

"Hey!" Chad gasped.

"You started it, not me." Taylor replied.

"Oh now you're gonna get it now!" he teased. He started chasing Taylor around his room, even if there wasn't that much space to move around. Taylor started laughing as she tried getting away from them, but a laugh escaped from Chad just the same every time he came closer to her.

Taylor eventually ended up on Chad's bad laughing. That's when Chad jumped on the bed and playfully tackled her. Taylor fell on top of the sheets and her head on one of the pillows with Chad on top of her. Both were laughing and now in a great mood. As soon as the laughing slowly died down, the two looked at each other and let their eyes lock again.

Chad remained on top of Taylor, then slowly leaned down and kissed her gently. His hands were on her shoulders at the sides and her hands were on top of his shoulders. The kiss didn't last too long, but it was clear from their faces when the kiss was broken that they wanted more.

Chad smiled and Taylor and she could feel his breath on her. "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you, too." She replied back, her forehead on top of his.

Chad leaned in again and kissed her passionately. Taylor returned the action and this time their hands were on more than just each others shoulders. Chad hand picked up Taylor's head slightly so his hand could fall in between her head and hair, and then she was laying on top of the pillow and Chad's hand. His other hand gently rubbed one of her arms. One of Taylor's arms went under Chad's arm and her hand landed on his back, nearly tugging on his shirt. Her other hand held tight onto the back of his head, her fingers once in a while wrapping around a few of his curls.

_**Until tonight**_

_**Love was a word**_

_**Part of a phrase I've often heard**_

_**A mystery**_

_**Now it's clear as it can be**_

_**So this is love**_

A few hours later it was completely dark outside and all of the candles in the room have gone out. It was just Chad and Taylor in the bed with the blankets covering them. It was hard to tell at first if either of them had any trace of clothes left on, but at an angle a thin strap was seen around Taylor's shoulder, which indicated that the two still had a form of clothing left on. They lay beside each other, only inches apart. Taylor's head remained on top of Chad's hand, but now she was facing him. Her hand had fallen under his arm and onto his waist, underneath the covers.

"Do you really think we should do this?" Taylor whispered sleepily.

"Do what?" Chad asked.

"Try and stay together throughout college."

"I think we can make it work."

"How can you be so sure? You always seem so confident but not everything you do can always happen."

"You just have to trust me." He shrugged. He picked up his other hand and moved a few strands of hair out of Taylor's face, tucking them behind her ear. "Do you trust me?"

"Do you really think I need a minute to rethink that?" Taylor assumed. "I'd trust you with my life if it came down to it."

"And I trust you." Chad replied. "So over the summer we'll get something for each other. So that way whenever we get tempted by someone we can just look at something we always have with us and remember that we've got a great person waiting for us."

"You know, sometimes you can be a lot smarter than any of us give you credit for." Taylor stated. "You never cease to surprise me Chad Danforth."

"And you never cease to put me in my place Taylor McKessie." He teased back.

Taylor giggled. "We'd better get to sleep. It's late and we have graduation in a matter of hours."

"Ok." Chad agreed. He moved closer to Taylor and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll see you in the morning then. G'night Tay Baby."

"Good night lunkhead." Taylor replied. She gave him a small soft peck on the lips and then they both drifted off the sleep.

_**So this is love**_

_**Until tonight**_

_**Love was a word**_

_**Part of a phrase I've often heard**_

_**A mystery**_

_**Now it's clear as it can be**_

_**So this is love**_

Christina cocked her head as Taylor finished the story. "I don't get it." she shook her head. "Was I spossed to follow everything in the story?"

Taylor giggled and shook her head. "Not really. But you'll understand when you're older." She moved some hair out of Christina's face. "But now you know that princes and princesses aren't the only people that fall in love."

Moments later, a curly-haired man poked his head in through the doorway. "I'm home." He whispered. "Chris asleep?"

Christina giggled and sat up. "No, I'm awake Daddy. Mommy was telling me another bedtime story. It was the one right after Cinderella."

He smirked and turned to Taylor with a raised eyebrow. "And you're the one who scolds me for not going to bed on time?"

Taylor laughed. "Calm down Chad. We were just passing the time until you got home. And now that you are home it's time for someone to go to sleep." She eyed Christina.

Christina yawned and nodded. "Ok." She agreed. "Night."

Taylor smiled and fixed the blankets. "Good night." She replied. She kissed Christina on the forehead and then walked out of the room.

Chad walked in the room next and gave Christina a kiss of his own. "See you in the morning Chris." He whispered. He walked over to the doorway and turned off the light, and then closed the door behind him, careful to leave it open a crack. He walked into the master bedroom and saw Taylor already changing for bed. "So what story was it this time?" he wondered as he eyed her.

"The story where people in real life fall in love." Taylor replied with a wink.

"Tay, you did not tell her _that_ story." Chad sighed, walking over to her just as the last piece of clothing was slipped on.

"Calm down Chad, I kept it as clean as possible." She replied. "Besides, she's too young to know half the stuff I was talking about anyway."

"Are we talking about the making out or…" Chad started, leaning in towards Taylor.

Taylor playfully pushed him away and walked over to the bed. "That's all we did that night and you know it. Anything else didn't come until after college at the earliest." She winked at the statement.

Chad chuckled and got out of his clothes to change into sleepwear. "So if the moral of Cinderella is to sneak off to a party and have the time of your life, then the moral of our story was…?"

Taylor giggled as he then climbed into bed. "The moral of Cinderella is to be yourself because whether you're rich or poor there's someone out there who can love you for you, and they'll always find their way to you somehow. Or so I've been told by my mother when I was Chris' age." She corrected him. Taylor turned off the light by her nightstand and sunk into the blankets a little more as she turned back to Chad. "And the moral of our story is that love can work in unexpected ways. That you'll reveal your true feelings for good to someone when the time is right and that there's someone out there for everyone."

"And look how it turned out for us." Chad smiled as he turned off the light and lay beside Taylor. They kissed each other good night and Chad fell asleep father quickly.

"Yeah." Taylor agreed to herself once Chad was sound asleep. She looked at the ring on her finger and thought where she was today and how she got there. "Perfect."

**So this is love

* * *

**I hope you were able to figure out when the flashback was, right? I thought it'd be too hard to read the majority of the story in italics, so I bolded and italicized the lyrics so it would be easier to know when the flashback started. So what did you think of this one? Yeah I know, probably mushier than my other ones. Man my mind is stubborn that way. -_-' So what song is next? You know, one of the songs I have in mind is one from Hercules, "I Won't Say I'm in Love". But which version would you prefer, the original or the Cheetah Girls version? I know the Cheetah version is longer, but the original has a really contagious rythym and stuff to it, y'know? Ok, I'm blabering again aren't I? I'll make it up to you guys, promise. Really short author notes next chapter. ^^


	5. Dinner

Ok first off, I want to apologize for the shortness of this chapter. It goes with a pretty quick song so that's why it is so short. And for those of you who love the fluffiness, sorry for the lack of it here as well. Anyway, tomorrow is Saturday and I don't even know if I'll be able to make it on the computer for five minutes. I've got a stinkin dr's appointment, then lunch, then friends, then work. So from like ten in the morning to eleven at night, not really any time for updating. So sorry about that, but I promise more updates will come on Sunday...after today of course.  
So this particular chapter fits with the song really well, I think. And now for the disclaimer that i do not own HSM, the characters, the song, Lady and the Trap, etc...and I just gave the whole thing away didn't I?

_

* * *

Ok Chad, you can do this._ Chad Danforth thought to himself as he pulled out one of the chairs at the table. _It's just another date. You've been on days before. Then why am I so dog gone nervous?_

"Chad." A female's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Chad blinked and he looked to see Taylor McKessie already sitting in the chair he pulled out for her.

"I said thank you." She repeated.

"Oh, right." Chad nodded, pushing the chair in more. "You're welcome." He moved some hair out of his face and sat at the seat across the table. Yup, that was his date. Chad had never been one to be nervous around girls, so why was he so freaking scared tonight of all nights? Was it because Taylor wasn't like all the other girls he had gone out with. She wasn't a selfish stuck-up airhead cheerleader. She was one of the smartest girls in school. Maybe all Chad was looking to do was impress her.

She already had the menu up and looking through the selection of foods and Chad had gotten caught up in the moment just staring at her. Luckily he was able to snap out of it before Taylor noticed. He quickly picked up his menu and started looking through it. Only thing was, he wasn't looking at the menu. Chad's eyes were locked on something – or some_one_ – else.

**For this is the night**

**It's a beautiful night**

**And we call it Bella Note**

"So do you see anything you like?" Taylor inquired as she looked over the last bit of the menu. Not hearing a response from Chad right away, she quirked an eyebrow and looked at him. "Earth to lunkhead basketball man, do you hear me?"

"Huh?" Chad blinked. Oh man, had he been staring at Taylor again? Yup, he had to be busted. But he couldn't be, not with the annoyed look Taylor had. He opened his mouth to answer when he realized what her question was, but Taylor just shook her head.

"Never mind. Maybe this date was a bad idea." She decided. She put her menu down and started getting up to leave.

"Taylor wait, don't go." Chad tried.

Taylor faced him. "Why? So you can keep tuning me out?"

"I wasn't tuning you out." Chad shook his head.

"So why don't you answer me right away when I ask you something?" she asked.

Chad sunk in his seat. This was going to be so embarrassing for him. He tried to lower his voice so he couldn't completely be heard. "Cause I was looking at you."

**Look at the skies**

**They have stars in their eyes**

**On this lovely Bella Note**

Taylor blinked and slowly walked back over to her seat. "You were looking at me?" she replied with a questioning look.

Chad could feel his cheeks turn red. And really, it took a lot to make that happen. Instead of speaking in a tone which he knew would squeak, he ended up just nodded.

Taylor sighed and sat back down. "Then riddle me this, truthfully and honestly." Taylor told him, knowing he couldn't be that ignorant. "Why? I mean there you are at school always looking at the cheerleaders at dated probably a forth of the squad since middle school. And here we are, high school juniors, and you give me five different looks before deciding to go out with me and now when we do go out you're suddenly staring at me like there's something to actually look at."

"There is." Chad replied, straightening up a bit.

"Then explain your case." She told him.

"Look every cheerleader I've gone out with, they try too hard. Every date was the same thing. They would yak away without giving me much of a chance to talk. Sometimes they would even pull out their cell phone and text or just talk on it in the middle of the date. They always wore fancy dresses and put on too much makeup or try too hard." Chad explained. "But you're not like those cheerleaders. You don't spend hours worrying about a good look for you because you know what looks good on you. You're not dressed for a fancy dinner right now, just for a casual date. And you're barely even wearing any makeup, and you know why? Because you don't need it."

Taylor blinked. Was this is bizarre way of complimenting her? It intrigued her at first, but Taylor wanted to hear more. "So what are you saying?" she asked.

"I don't know." Chad admitted, losing track of his own words for a minute. "I guess that I like that. But I'm just not used to it so I keep being thrown off guard."

Taylor looked like she was thinking for a minute. She wasn't sure whether to believe Chad or not. On one hand, he was always a lunkhead basketball man. On the other hand, he really did sound honest. Was it another one of his tricks? She glanced at him for a minute, trying to see if there were any signs of him lying to her. He looked pretty innocent. Taylor finally gave her answer.

"Then I suppose I can see this date through." She told him. "But if I'm ignored again or I see you eyeballing one of those cheerleaders I'm out of here."

"You won't. I promise." Chad nodded.

**Side by side**

**With your loved one**

**You'll find enchantment here**

After a while of ordering food, talking, and waiting, the waiter arrived with the dinner. How convenient that both of them just happened to order spaghetti?

Taylor carefully twirled her fork in the pasta and ate it off the fork, being careful and polite, using the table manners she was trained with. Hey it wasn't her fault that's how her mother raised her. Chad on the other hand, looking like he was having a hard time getting the food on the fork. Taylor couldn't help but giggle.

"Does the big strong basketball man need help?" she teased.

"No." Chad lied. He tried getting the pasta onto the fork again but it only slipped off. He tried once more, but somehow the sauce only ended up splashing him a bit on the forehead. "Maybe just a little." He admitted sheepishly.

Taylor smiled and rolled her eyes. And Chad had to admit, he liked that smile. "Here, let me help you." She offered. Taylor got out of her seat and walked over to Chad. She took his hand and leading his hand with her hand, she helped him get the spaghetti onto the fork effortlessly. "There, now that wasn't so hard was it?"

Chad smiled and looked up at Taylor, as he was still sitting and she was standing next to him. "Not at all." He replied. "You really are a genius girl aren't you?"

"I try to be." Taylor shrugged modestly. "But yeah, I guess you could say that."

Chad chuckled and Taylor moved some hair out of her face. They both looked down to see that they were sort of kind of still holding hands. Taylor quickly let go and turned around to walk back to her seat before Chad could see her blush. Yes, Taylor blushing was just about as rare as Chad blushing.

**The night will weave its magic spell**

**When the one you love is near**

Chad smiled as he ate the pasta, using the technique Taylor showed him. It was pretty quiet for a while. Once in a while a minor conversation filled the air, but nothing too big. It was kind of hard to talk and eat at the same time. Yes, as hard as it was to believe Chad didn't talk with his mouthful the entire time. He really was trying to impress Taylor, and he was hoping that it was working.

He picked up his head from his food a short time later to see that most of Taylor's spaghetti was eaten and all of her meatballs were gone. "You must've been hungry." He teased playfully.

"Maybe just a little." Taylor admitted. "You don't really think I'd go out somewhere without eating, do you?"

"Not a chance." Chad shook his head. "You ate the meatballs pretty quickly, though."

"Yes, people tend to eat certain foods rather quickly if they like them." Taylor replied. "Why? Don't you like them?"

"No, no. It's not that. Everything's great." Chad said. And he meant every word of it.

Taylor merely nodded. She took a sip of her Ginger Ale. Chad looked back and forth between their two plates, taking Taylor into a few shots as well. Chad had to admit, the meatballs were pretty tasty. That explained why he only had one left. You know where this is going, don't you?

Chad turned his fork around to the other side and gently pushed the meatball from his plate onto Taylor's. Taylor raised an eyebrow as she put her drink down, watching what Chad was doing. She was surprised, to say the least. She just stared at it for a minute and then slowly picked her head up to look at Chad. It looked like Chad was copying her actions, but he was really just happening to do them at the same time she was.

_Oh man did I do something wrong? _He thought._ Maybe she thinks it's invested with some kind of stupid basketball person disease. Now she's never gonna wanna eat it._

More silence. But much to Chad's surprise, a smile crept onto Taylor's face. And she was smiling at him. She went back to the pasta and continued eating it, moving the meatball around once in a while to show she would save it for last. Chad grew a smile on his face, relieved that he actually did something right. He cheered happily to himself in his head and then went back to eating.

**For this is the night**

**And the heavens are right**

Chad walked Taylor to her doorstep after dinner was over. They were both laughing a little so obviously they both had a good time. It was almost ten at night so Taylor had to make sure she got in at ten on the dot.

"Hey, I'm sorry we had to walk all the way here." Chad apologized once they were at her door. "I mean with no car yet and me still needing to actually pass my road test…"

"Don't worry about it." Taylor shook her head. "I needed a bit of a power walk anyway. I didn't wear flats for nothing, you know."

"Well I could see about getting us a ride next time." Chad said. "I mean, if there's a next time."

"Define 'if'." Taylor told him, ready to cross her arms.

"As in, if you want to." Chad said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

Taylor was quiet for a minute. Chad didn't know if that meant she was thinking or if she was just toying with him. That's when she caught him off guard. Taylor smiled warmly and nodded. "I'd really like that."

A smile grew no Chad's face once again. "Really?"

"Really." Taylor nodded. "Tonight was a lot better than I expected it to be." That's when she did something Chad didn't expect. She gave him a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow." She added before walking into her house and closing the door behind her.

For a minute Chad just stood there in awe. He couldn't believe it. He wasn't a loser with a girl. She had fun tonight. He got a kiss. Chad touched his cheek for a minute, wondering if it was a dream somehow. Imagine his excitement when he knew it was real.

He smiled and leaned up against the door. "I am so thanking her for a great time tonight. Fist thing in the morning." He said to himself. And then Chad put his hands in his pants pockets and walked to his own home under the moonlight.

**On this lovely Bella Note**

**

* * *

**So how was that? It was one of their earlier dates if it was hard to tell at all. I'm not sure which song is going to be next, but I'll try to get in one or two more (depending on how long they are) up today before heading off to work. And sadly when school starts again in like a week, less time for updating. Like once a day in most cases. -_- Oh the joy (please tell me you caught the sarcasm in that statement).


	6. Dreams

Ok this one is much longer than the last one. The idea just sorta came to me, but the paragraphs and such kept twisting and turning if you know what I mean. So this will probably be the last one for the day and if not I should be able to squeeze in one more. Now I don't particularly like the song in this one, but this version of it (still not a big fan) just has a way of getting stuck in a person's head. I hate the song and yet it won't get outta my head. Don't you hate it when that happens?  
So once again I own nothing in this one shot. This one has the song "Once Upon a Dream" sung by Emily Osment. Again, not a fan, but it won't get the heck outta my head! It's evil I tell ya, evil!

_

* * *

_

"So how was your weekend?" Gabriella Montez asked her best friend Taylor McKessie Monday morning. They were both in East High school and Gabriella had spotted Taylor at her locker.

"Aside from the excessive amount of homework my AP Chemistry and Calculus teachers have me on Friday, pretty good." Taylor replied with a nod. Her wavy black hair was laying on her back and held up just slightly by a magenta headband. It matched the shade of her light jacket that covered her lime green t-shirt and maroon pants. She closed her locker and turned to Gabriella, her flats almost making a faint clicking as she did so. "What about yours?"

"You know how." Gabriella replied with a smile.

"Right, the boyfriend thing." Taylor recalled with a nod.

"And something of that sort must be on your mind, too." Gabriella stated. "You've got that look in your eye again."

"What look?" Taylor asked innocently.

"An oddly more than happy look." Gabriella stated. "Tay, you can tell me. I promise not to tell a soul."

Taylor thought for a minute. She looked every which way in the hallway to make sure that no one was watching or listening. It was of the utmost confidential secrets she had, after all. Once she realized the coast was clear, Taylor turned back to Gabriella.

"I had that dream again." She practically squealed.

**I know you**

**I walked with you**

**Once upon a dream**

**I know you, the gleam in your eyes **

**Is so familiar, a gleam**

**I know it's true that visions **

**Are seldom all they seem**

**But if I know you, I know what you'll do**

**You'll love me at once the way you did**

**Once upon a dream**

"Dude you are on fire!" Troy Bolton gasped to his best friend Chad Danforth. The boys hit a high five. They were on the basketball court in the gym at East High where they attended school.

The curly-haired boy nodded and gave a big smile, and not just because his shirt said that he came with his own background music. "I know." Chad agreed. "Man I had a great weekend." He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a quarter. "Found a Mississippi state quarter on the ground Friday afternoon when I walked home from school. And it gets better."

Better than finding a state quarter on the ground? It had to be heads up on the ground if Chad had such good luck all weekend. Troy could only wonder. "Ok, what else?"

"I got off babysitting duty on Saturday." Chad exclaimed. "My mom was actually allowed to take my little brother in to her office on Saturday. And it turned out everyone loved him. So I got to lay around the house all day doing absolutely nothing but watch TV and play video games."

"There has to be more than that." Troy stated.

"What do you mean?" Chad asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You've got that huge smile on your face. The one that says something really _really _good happened this weekend." Troy observed. "C'mon man, fess up. What is it?"

Chad looked around the gym to make sure no one else was around to hear him. No one besides Troy knew about it. It was a solely brother to brother secret. Ok so Troy and Chad weren't really brothers, but with how close they were one would almost think it if it weren't for their eyes, height, skin tones, hair…you get the idea.

"I had the dream again!" Chad exclaimed.

**Once upon a time**

**I dreamed we'd be together**

**In love forever**

**Once upon a night I was wishing for a never**

**A never ending**

**Once upon a time**

**Once upon a night**

**Once upon a wish**

**Once upon a dream**

Gabriella's eyes widened. "You dreamt about him again?" she gasped.

"Yeah." Taylor nodded eagerly. "I couldn't believe it either. It was by far the best dream about him I've had so far."

"Well that what are you waiting for?" Gabriella exclaimed. She pulled Taylor to a bench on the other side of the hallway and they sat down. "Start talking. I have to know what your knight in shining armor did this time."

"Well it started out as a total nightmare. The worst of the worst was happening for me, and all at once. It was almost like the darkened climax of a fairytale when you think the Princess is going to fall to her utter demise, and it's only pages before her prince comes to the rescue." Taylor explained after putting her books down and clearing her throat. "My parents suddenly died of an illness. My older sister was nowhere to be found. There was no one in my family left. You were moving away because of some weird brainiac girls' shipping to the best boarding school in Canada. And my house…"

"Wait, what?" Gabriella had to let out a giggle. "I was randomly being sent to a boarding school in Canada for smart girls by no one? And without you?"

"Gabriella, it was my dream remember? Not everything has to make sense." Taylor replied.

"Alright." Gabriella giggled. "Continue then."

"And my house was completely dark and run down. The family's prized possessions were gone and there was nothing left. I was on my own." Taylor went on. "And then, in my darkest hour of need, there was a bright light coming from behind me. I turned to the doorway and a few bluebirds flew into my house. They chirped around me for a minute, which really helped lighten up the mood. I mean deep down I was still depressed and alone, but they got a minor giggle out of me. And then when I looked up again there was a guy coming right to me. I couldn't see his face because it was so dark, but the light shined on the rest of his body. He was tall, dark, handsome, strong, and the only thing I could see on his face were these amazing chocolate brown eyes. I mean, the top of his head looked like it had a bush on it or something but everything above his chest except for his eyes was well conceived so I really couldn't tell.

"So then he knelt down to me and held out his hand. He just made my heart beat faster and faster. There was just something about him that did that." Taylor continued. "And then he told me in a warm and calm voice, 'You don't need to sit here all by yourself. What's a pretty thing like you doing here all alone anyway?' So I slowly put my hand in his and answered, 'My parents are dead. I have no idea where my older sister or the rest of my family is. My best friend moved out of the country. I've lost everything I loved. I'm on my own.' Then he lifted my chin up to him and said, 'You're never alone. You'll always have someone right beside you.' And he pulled me in closer to him and I felt so safe in his arms, like there was nothing wrong with the world anymore. So I looked up at him and right into his eyes and he whispered to me, 'You're never going to be alone again. Because I'll always protect you no matter what.' And just when we were about to kiss, my alarm woke me up."

"Oh my God," Gabriella sighed contently, "that is so incredibly romantic. Like a knight in shining armor coming to your rescue and save you from utter chaos just in the knick of time."

"Yeah, but I never even caught his name. And every time I dream about him I never get it." Taylor leaned against the wall. "And I never see his face. Just his body and those amazing brown eyes. Gabriella you have no idea how much I wish he was real."

**I know you**

**I danced with you **

**Once upon a night**

**There we were**

**Wishing this dance would last forever**

**All the time**

"Dude, that girl again?" Troy gasped with wide eyes. "How long have you been dreaming about her?"

"I don't even remember man." Chad shook his head. "But it was one of the best dreams ever."

"So what are you waiting for?" Troy asked. "Don't leave me hangin."

"Well we were all living in Albuquerque and kept getting interrupted by Bugs Bunny because he needed to know how to get to some beach in Florida or something. And after that everything was going really great until the sky darkened and evil robot ninja monkeys started attacking the town with vanilla pudding…" Chad started.

"Chad? Are you sure you're talking about the dream with the girl?" Troy asked doubtfully.

"Ok, the money dream was really from Saturday." Chad confessed rolling his eyes. "But it was a funny dream."

"Dude, focus." Troy insisted.

"Alright." Chad nodded. "So the day was going really great. We were on a roll with basketball and I was named captain of the baseball team and was known as the secret weapon for track and field. The sun was shining and everything was going perfectly for me. It was like a real dream come true. I helped the baseball team won the championships in Texas and then when we had that last track and field meet I was able to get the team their first big trophy in twenty years. The Coach was giving me rewards and everything. And I was so happy I just wanted everyone to know what it was like to that happy. So my dreams turns into the next day and I'm skipping along the sidewalk and being my usual happy self, since everything was going to great and all. And then I stop by a house and see that it's all dark and run down. There's a black sky over it, covering most of the sky around it and behind it. But around me and behind me, everything's crystal clear. I thought the house was haunted so I was about to walk away. And then I stopped because I thought I heard someone in the house. And they sounded so depressed, something about the cry just ripped my heart in two.

"So I walk up to the door and slowly open it, watching the light go in. And right there on the floor I see a girl sitting down looking sadder than I've ever seen anyone. I step back when I see a couple of weird birds fly past me and go inside. They looked like they were cheering her up a bit, since her head started to lift." Chad continued. "But even though her face was hidden in the darkness I could see her body and her eyes so perfectly. Her big brown eyes had nothing but sadness in them and I wanted to make it go away. I could only imagine what her smile must be like if she was happy. So I slowly walk over to her and she turns when she sees me. I try to sound relaxed, showing her there's nothing to worry about. And I ask her, 'You don't need to sit here by yourself. What's a pretty thing like you doing here alone anyway?' So she looked up at me and tells me. I listen and hold my hand out to her. She told me that most of her family was nowhere to be found and her parents were dead, and that her best friend moved out of the country. She put her hand in mine and I knelt down to her so I could lift her chin up. She looked at me and I told her, 'You're never alone. You'll always have someone right beside you.' And I looked into those big brown eyes of hers and she looked at me. I couldn't stand to see anyone so upset, I just wanted to make everything better. I wanted to see that smile she was suppressing. And then I told her that she was never gonna be alone again, cause I'd protect her no matter what.' And she suddenly looked so much happier. I really wanted to see her smile. So I leaned in and we were about to kiss…. Then I trampled off the side of my bed and woke up with a headache."

"Wait, so you almost kissed her?" Troy asked wide-eyed. "You never kissed a single girl before."

"I know. But she was like a beautiful damsel in distress. Kisses always make them feel better. It would've made me feel better, too." Chad replied.

"How would you know if she's so beautiful when you don't even know what she looked like?" Troy asked.

"She had those big brown eyes, Troy." Chad said. "She was a little skinny-ish, but closer to the average. I could wrap my arms around her so easily like they just fit there. And her hands were small but I could hold them so tight in mine. If I could only see what her face looked like…"

"You never even caught her name either did you?" Troy guessed.

"I never do." Chad sighed. He leaned up against the wall. "There's so many questions I want her to answer…."

**I hope it's true**

**This vision is more than what it seems**

**Cause if dreams come true I know what we'll do**

**We'll dance once again the way we did then**

**Once upon a dream**

_"Where am I?" __Chad__ asked nervously as he looked around. "This isn't __New Mexico__. I don't even know where this is…" He frantically looked around trying to find an answer. There was nothing but darkness. There were dead corpses all around him and everything he loved was gone. His baseball bat was broken into two. His baseball was stomped on. His lucky shoes for track and field were ripped a part, from what looked like a dog. His basketball was flattened from a large hole in it. His whole family was dead and surrounding him._

_"I need help…" __Chad__ sighed to himself. He looked around for his best friend. But all he found was a note from __Troy__. It said that he ran away with Gabriella to get married. He did apologize to Chad in the letter, but right after that said that they could never see each other again because he wasn't as good as player as him in any sports._

_Chad__ gasped and sunk to the ground. This was his worst nightmare ever. He was all alone and not a soul in the world cared. He covered his face, refusing to show any emotion. __Chad__ never cried about anything and he wasn't about to now. He collapsed onto the ground._

_But when he woke up he was in someone's arms. He looked up to see a girl's face hidden in the shadows. But if there was one thing he knew about her, it was that she had those same big brown eyes the girl in his dreams always had. "It's you…"_

_"I'm here to help you." She said with warmness in her voice._

_Chad__'s face fell as he looked down. "There's nothing you can do. I've lost everything." He sighed. "Why would you help me when there's nothing in it for you?"_

_The girl gently pushed him to sit up. He turned to face her, and her eyes had nothing but a calmness and warmness to them. "Because I've seen in you in my dreams so many times before. I'm here to help you now, just like you've always helped me."_

_Chad__ felt her hand touch his cheek. He paused for a minute before nearly grabbing her hand. He did kind of grab it, but he held it tight even as she stroked his cheek. He opened his eyes to see her sitting in front of him, their faces only inches apart._

_"Promise you'll never leave me?" __Chad__ asked._

_"I promise." She agreed softly._

_And the two leaned in towards each other, just about to kiss._

**Once upon a time**

**I dreamed we'd be together**

**In love forever**

**Once upon a time I was wishing for a never**

_"I can't believe my dream has finally come true." __Taylor__ smiled to herself as she could hear so many people talk about her. She had found a cure for the common cold and was already developing a cure for diabetes. The whole town was buzzing about her and __Taylor__ couldn't be happier. She had a great life. And she was only in high school. It felt like she was a prodigy in the field of science. She wished everyone could feel as happy as she did right now._

_Taylor__ was walking down the street when she stopped and saw a dark forest to the side. The trees were all dead and there was nothing but darkness inside. At times she could see thunder and lightning move across the sky, only covering that area. But all around __Taylor__ and behind her the skies were crystal clear and no one had a care in the world._

_She was about to walk on when she squinted and thought she saw a shadow in the forest. Now who would be so depressed that they would actually sit in such a cold dark area? But she couldn't leave them alone. She wanted everyone to be as happy as she was right now. So __Taylor__ ran into the forest, looking around for that person. She gasped when she saw who it was. It was a guy hidden in the darkness, right there on the ground out cold. __Taylor__ covered her mouth with her hand and sat down in front of him. He look so alone. So she gently picked him up and held him in her arms, placing his head in her lap._

_'Oh my gosh, he is so strong and muscular.' She thought, touching his arms and chest. She could see his body and knew it look familiar, but in the darkness she couldn't see his face. She wondered who it was. But as soon as a moan came from him and he started waking up, he opened his eyes. __Taylor__ looked into those same brown eyes and knew it was him. The guy who was always in her dreams._

_"It's you…" he said._

_"I'm here to help you." __Taylor__ said calmly. "You can't be here all by yourself in this environment."_

_"Well you might as well leave me here." He replied, looking away. "Because there's nothing you can do. I've lost everything."_

_"I can do anything you want me to." __Taylor__ assured him softly. "You have been in my dreams so many times before. You've always helped me in them. So now I'm going to help you." She carefully helped him sit up so he could face her. __Taylor__ put her hand on his cheek and began stroking it. She saw his hand cover hers and she smiled. Even when it was just his hand holding hers she still felt so safe. She wanted him to feel the same way. And with their faces only inches apart now, both of them began leaning in for a kiss._

**A never ending**

**Once upon a time**

**Once upon a night**

**Once upon a wish**

**Once upon a dream**

**Yeah yeah yeah**

"I can't believe you talked me into coming to this party." Taylor told Gabriella the next night. "You know Sharpay will always trick us into doing something she wants to, especially if it means Troy is involved."

"I still say you're worrying too much." Gabriella replied calmly. "I know Troy. He's going to be just fine like we are. So let's enjoy ourselves while we're here. And maybe by some shot of luck we can find your mystery dream man."

Secretly, Taylor would have liked nothing more. She didn't tell Gabriella about the dream she had last night. But it felt so perfect. It was her dream come true and his nightmare. But it felt to her like she was going to pull him through all of it no matter what.

She realized that Gabriella was no longer standing beside her but rather running right over to Troy. Taylor sighed and reluctantly followed. She got closer to them until she was stopped in her tracks, feeling a sudden coldness on her outfit. She gasped and jumped back.

"Oh man, I'm so sorry." The guy next to her apologized quickly. "Here, let me get towels for you."

Taylor turned to see his back turned toward her as he scrambled to get some towels. She couldn't see anything of him but his curly afro.

"Oh man I can't find anything." He sighed. "We might have to go up to Sharpay's room." He turned to see Taylor there.

Taylor's eyes widened when she looked at him. He looked almost exactly like the guy from her dreams. His body was identical and those eyes were the same chocolate shade that she'd always melt in. "Chad Danforth?" she gasped, realizing it was a type of enemy for her. Hey, their best friends may be dating, but to them jocks and brainiacs still shouldn't get along.

"Taylor McKessie?" Chad gasped when he saw her. He couldn't believe it either. The girl he hated more than any other was the one he was trying to apologize to and clean up. But it didn't make any sense. She looked exactly like the girl from his dreams. She had the same figure and voice. And her eyes…man, they were just as big and brown! All he was doing was getting a drink for himself before catching up to Troy. He didn't expect for his soda to splash onto Taylor. "What are you doing outside of a library?"

"What are you doing outside of a basketball court?" she retorted. And now payback for him spilling the drink on her. She took a full glass of something from a nearby table and splashed it on Chad.

"Hey!" Chad gasped trying to wipe his eyes. "What was that for?"

"For spilling yours on me in the first place." Taylor replied.

"I told you, it was an accident." Chad argued. "Great, now we have to go up to one of the rooms and get tissues." He started up the stairs.

"Yeah, like anyone should really trust you in their house alone." Taylor said sarcastically as she followed him.

**Once upon a night**

**I was wishing for a never**

**A never ending**

**Once upon a time**

**Once upon a night**

**Once upon a wish**

**Once upon a love**

Chad was in Sharpay Evans' room wiping his face off with some tissues. He saw Taylor walk in from the corner of his eye and closed the door behind her. He rolled his eyes and pretended not to notice.

Taylor walked over and took a few of the tissues to wipe her shirt off with. Maybe she did overdue it a bit down there, but she'd never willingly admit it. Still, she might as well act like the responsible adult.

"I'm sorry for splashing you." She apologized. "It was rude and uncalled for."

"Trust me, I've had worse than soda splashed on me." Chad replied as he wiped off the last of it. "It's not as big a deal as I made it seem. And I really didn't mean to spill my soda on you."

"Yeah. I should have realized right away it was a freak accident." Taylor nodded in agreement. But she couldn't get over the fact that as she continued cleaning her shirt she could feel a pair of eyes on her. She slowly turned her head to see Chad staring at her. "What are you looking at?"

"Huh?" Chad blinked. "Oh, nothing. It's just…. Just that you look like someone I thought I knew."

Taylor raised an eyebrow but sounded calm. "I could say the same thing about you." She stated. "Care to share?"

"Only if you share, too." Chad replied. He saw Taylor nod in agreement and he started telling Taylor how she looked like the girl from the dreams he was having. Chad never would have believed it if he wasn't doing it, but right now he was spilling his innermost secrets to Taylor Mary-Ann McKessie. And then he started telling her about his dream, even when Taylor stated that she had similar dreams about a guy she thought looked like Chad.

But Taylor's eyes widened when Chad told her his latest dream. "You've got to be kidding me!" she gasped. "I had that same dream."

"Get out!" Chad replied, just as much shock in his voice.

Taylor shook her head and told Chad about her dream. She couldn't believe it, but there she was in Sharpay Evans' room spilling her most special secrets to Chad Rodney Danforth. By the time she was done they were both staring at each other in disbelief.

**Once upon a dream**

"So every time I had a dream about that princess girl, it was you? With those eyes?" Chad gasped.

"And when I dreamt about that handsome guy always helping me, that was you? With those eyes?" Taylor replied.

Clearly they were both in disbelief. They had been dreaming about their dream boy/girl all this time, and the entire time it turned out to be their natural enemy.

Taylor kept shaking her head. "I can't believe it." she said.

"I know. Me either." Chad agreed.

Now they were both sitting on Sharpay's bed in silence, neither of them willing to go downstairs even if their friends became worried.

"Hey, do you think there's anyway we can get some kind of proof?" Chad wondered.

"Proof from our dreams? Yeah right." Taylor huffed.

"No, I mean…" Chad paused, wondering how to say it without sounding weird. And seriously, he was starting to weird himself out. He was actually seeing Taylor as…attractive. "…I mean like, maybe if we…you know…."

Taylor just raised an eyebrow, trying to follow him. She was scaring herself right now, actually telling herself that Chad looked…cute. "What do you mean?"

"Well…in our dreams, we almost ended up…you know…kissing." Chad said. "So maybe if we…."

"Kiss…" Taylor continued for him, "…then we'll know for sure? Like if we're really what the other was dreaming about?"

"Yes, exactly." Chad exclaimed. "Man it's like you can read my mind or something."

"And it's like for a minute I actually understood you." Taylor replied.

They began staring at each other, lost in their eyes. Taylor could feel herself melting into Chad's chocolate brown eyes and Chad couldn't think for a second to take his gaze away from Taylor's big brown eyes. And then, as though they knew what the other was thinking, they started leaning into each other. Taylor wanted this to be real, to finally see that prince she was dreaming of, but she was still in disbelief that it was Chad. And Chad actually wanted Taylor to be his princess, but he never would have looked at her like that in a million years. Finally their lips met and they shared a kiss. It was soft and gentle at first, just to let them both take it in. They slowly pulled away and opened their eyes to see the others' expression. And they were thinking the exact same thing.

"Oh my gosh…" the whispered in unison.

They knew it was true. The two leaned in again and shared another gentle kiss. It was the one they had been dreaming of for so long. The kiss became more of a passionate one and Chad wrapped his arms tight around Taylor, not wanting to let her go. Taylor responded by putting her arms around Chad's neck and deepening the kiss. Clearly neither of them wanted to pull away. They just wanted to stay there on the bed and kiss the love they had all those dreams of.

And nothing could stop them. Even if Sharpay would bust through the door to break them up a minute later they would just keep kissing.

**Once upon a dream**

**

* * *

**

You don't really like me rambling with these author's notes do you? I'm sorry, I'm trying to cut back I really am! So did this one have enough fluff for you, may i ask? So now i gotta figure out which song is gonna be next. I got a suggestion for the last chapter in here, but i don't wanna give anything away. Ok you caught me, I have to hear the song first. Sorry, but just because some of us grew up with this generation of Disney first being released onto video and whatnot doesn't mean we've seen em all. Lion King was my first move if anyone's interested. That's wht it was first. XD Hey wait a minute, when do I get to hear stories like this from you guys? I'm so busy typing up stories for you that I wanna hear some of your C&T versions. Now i gotta go search for them. T_T Can I at least get some food first? Thank you.  
What? If no joking or rambling there's gotta be imaginary drama somewhere in the author's notes right?


	7. Worlds

Ok, so once again sorry for not updating in a couple of days. It's been really crazy so please don't ask. And this chapter may not be the most exciting one there is either so once again I apologize for that. The next one will be much better, I promise. If it's more fluff you want it's more fluff you'll get. I'll make it work, no biggie.  
So this one is from the Little Mermaid, which I don't own. Just had a random idea that i thought could work. And i don't own HSM or the characters either. What else do I need to say up here? Uh.... Ok, i know nothing.

* * *

A sigh escaped the sixteen-year-old as her eyes landed on another member of the student body. Call it boy watching if you will, but this particular girl was not the type to do something like that. She often had other things on her mind but this was different. She's had her mind on this particular individual for a while. She didn't even know what it was. Maybe it was his incredibly brown curly hair. Maybe it was how strung and muscular he looked when he wore his basketball jersey. Maybe it was a certain look in his amazing brown eyes that he always got. Maybe there was something award-winning about his smile. But she had to get a grip. He was a jock and she was a geek.

Granted, she wasn't the definition of geek by her looks. Long wavy black hair, smooth dark skin, brown eyes, classy and sophisticated in appearance…no glasses or braces in sight now any outfits that mismatched. So just judge from hers and the boy's looks. Not only did she know he'd never like her, but they could never be meant to be.

She turned back to her locker and there were her books. All neatly organized by color, alphabetical order, and by class time. She had everything a girl of her stature could ever want in her locker. By now you could probably guess what all of this meant, who the two sixteen-year-olds were.

**Look at this stuff**

**Isn't it neat?**

**Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?**

**Wouldn't you think I'm the girl**

**The girl who has everything**

Yes, Taylor McKessie was in love with Chad Danforth. That was the one thing she didn't have. The one thing she wanted more than anything. But it could never happen, it just couldn't. As far as she knew, Chad didn't even know she existed. To him all she was, was some nerd. A geek. A teacher's pet. A class kiss-up. And everything in between. He would never even look at her twice before thinking something different about her other than those thoughts. So Taylor had to get a grip and focus back on reality. She had to think about what was more important than some boy's affection She had to think about everything that she had instead of what she didn't have.

**Look at this trove, treasures untold**

**How many wonders can one cavern hold?**

**Looking around here you think**

**Sure, she's got everything**

The torture of sitting in drama class was being stuck sitting right behind Chad. The very same place where she could get lost in his curly brown hair. It could take her away from reality so easily when nothing else could. But luckily when Taylor put her mind to something else, she put it to something else. When it was time to take notes she'd try to keep her head down and write down everything the teacher was saying. When they had to read a book about a famous Shakespearian play or something she would keep her eyes glued into the pages of the book. When it was time to take a test, her mind was solely set on the test.

The problem was looking up. Looking up at the board, to answer a question, or show the teacher that she was paying attention like she always was, that also meant looking at Chad's hair. So all she could do was get any answer she had to out as fast as she could and then try to stray away from staring at the curls for too long.

Nevertheless, Taylor's grades were phenomenal. Never a failing grade in the class. Always a straight A student. Always first to participate in an argument and to state her opinion, to answer a question when it was asked. It was hard to believe that Taylor could actually be hiding such a lustful secret.

**I've got gadgets and gizmos a'plenty**

**I've got whose-its and what's-its galore**

**You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty**

At home her family was great. Her mother was supportive of her and so proud that there was always great grades to bring home. Her father brought in enough money for the family and was happy to give his children anything he could. Her older brother was always off working so he could bring in more money for the family, and give himself enough money to pay for his own life and make a living. Her older sister was away at college and doing the best she could to get a well-paying job and promise to give her family back everything they've given her. Maybe Taylor didn't have a lot of the luxuries that everyone else had. Maybe Taylor only strove to get good grades so it would help her pay for college. Maybe that didn't give Taylor much of a life outside of school.

But all in all, it was a pretty good family. A pretty good life.

**But who cares, no big deal**

**I want more**

Taylor knew that Chad lived on the opposite spectrum of her, and it wasn't just the clique status at school. It wasn't just that he was one of the most popular guys in school and so many of the girls in the student body wanted to date him. It wasn't just that he was one of the best players on the team.

Sure, Chad's grades were never the best. He was lucky to pass most of his classes, but he passed them so he could keep playing sports. If he got above a C then he would remain on the basketball team. Taylor knew that it was what Chad strove to do. It was obvious to anyone that it was the only reason he'd ever try in his classes.

But it was also Chad's home life that kept them apart. His family was just so better off than Taylor's was. His father worked at a bank so he was always bringing in a good deal of money since they had a lot of business there. His mother was an attorney. Sure, she knew how to be laid-back and such, but when she was at her job she was at her job, which explained why it was so hard for her to lose any cases. And Chad's younger siblings were always so well-behaved. They all lived in a bigger house. They could afford more. They had almost everything that Taylor's family didn't.

**I wanna be where the people are**

**I wanna see, wanna see 'em dancing,**

**Walking around on those**

**What do you call them?**

**Oh, feet**

Once the final bell rang, Taylor was on her way home. She took the necessary books she needed from her locker and then was out the door. While she was president of the Chemistry Club and head of the Scholastic Decathlon there were no meetings to attend to today. Which meant that Taylor could head right for home after school. But she didn't expect what was waiting for her.

She was walking down the street with her books at hand, her flats clicking against the sidewalk. She knew what she had to do: get home and do her homework. That's all she needed to do. And for a while that was all she was thinking about. Getting homework done and figuring out what to do with the rest of her evening.

But then a car was slowly driving up to her, slowing to the speed that she was going in. "Need a ride?" the voice from inside called.

**Flippin your fins you don't get too far**

**Legs are required for jumping,**

**Dancin strollin along down a…**

**What's that word again?**

**Street**

Taylor stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the voice. She knew that voice. It couldn't be…? The voice that she had wanted to talk to her for so long was actually acknowledging her existence?

Indeed it was, for when she turned around she could see Chad in the car that was now parked beside her. And he was actually smiling – at her! Taylor couldn't believe it. Her eyes briefly glanced the insides of the vehicle and from what she could see, no one else was in there. Chad Danforth was lone in his car and just drove up to her asking if she needed a ride?

Quickly coming back to reality, Taylor knew she had to think of a reply.

**Up where they walk**

**Up where they run**

**Up where they stay all day in the sun wondering free**

**Wish I could be part of that world**

"I know the way home, I can get there by myself." Taylor told him. Like she was really going to show Chad where she lived? Yeah right.

"Well how far away is it?" Chad wondered.

"Close enough that I can walk there and get there in one piece." Taylor replied simply.

"You sure about that?" Chad asked. "Cause I've been watching for five blocks. If your house was that close to the school you'd be there by now."

Taylor could see the smirk on his face. So he had been following her longer than she thought. But what did it mean? What was his catch? "Why do you worry so much? Don't you have a girlfriend to drive home or something?"

"If I had a girlfriend don't you think she'd be in the car with me right now?" Chad replied.

"Unless she was at cheer practice at school or conveniently home sick." Taylor shrugged.

Chad chuckled. "You're really something else aren't you McKessie?"

**What would I give**

**If I could give out of these waters**

**What would I pay**

**To spend a day warm on the sand**

Wait a minute, did Chad just call her by her name? Well, her last name anyway…but still her name. So he knew who she was? But how could that be possible? They knew nothing about each other….

Chad only smiled as she just seemed to stare into space. "So how about that ride, McKessie? What do you say?"

"I say there still needs to be some kind of angle behind it." Taylor said simply, holding her ground. "What makes you think I'm so different from other girls?"

"I'll tell you if you hop in and let me drive you home." Chad shrugged. "But if you don't join me then you'll never know."

**Betcha on land they understand**

**Bet they don't reprimand their daughters**

Chad was certainly a stubborn one. He didn't give up an argument easily. Taylor still knew there had to be an angle with him. But what else was she supposed to do? There'd be no other time for them to talk or anything. She wanted to know what his plan was. Was this some kind of scheme he had?

So many questions ran through her head as she rode in the passenger's seat of Chad's car. Much to her surprise, his attention was completely focused on the road. Only at red lights did he stop to look at Taylor and smiled. And as much as it sent chills up Taylor's spine to see him do that, she had to be strong. She wasn't about to let her guard down now of all times.

**Bright young women**

**Sick of swimming**

**Ready to stand**

**And ready to know what the people know**

**Ask them my questions and get some answers**

**What's a fire and why does it**

**What's the word, burn?**

**When's it my turn?**

"So let me ask you something," Chad said. "How do you do it? Just keep a straight face all the time and not get turned on by my charm and good looks?"

_You have no idea how wrong you are._ Taylor thought. "That's my little secret." She replied. "Why are you even doing this? Trying to set a record for how many more girls you can get to fall for you?"

"Actually I wanna get into the female mind." Chad shrugged.

"Pardon?" she quirked an eyebrow.

Chad chuckled and shook his head. "I dunno, it's kind of embarrassing."

"So one of the highest ranking basketball players at East High is embarrassed about something, huh?" Taylor smirked. "You'd better start spilling or one rumor will spread after another."

"Alright, alright." Chad caved. "All of the girls who follow me aren't what I'm looking for. They give me like no space. They're all the same. There's nothing special about them. They think that just because they're cheerleaders and I'm a jock or that we happen to have a lot of money coming into our families that we're a perfect fit for each other. But we're not. I don't want girls like that in my life."

"So where do I come into this?" Taylor inquired.

"You seem to treat me like I'm just some other guy. Like there's nothing special about me. And there happens to be this girl that I like who treats me the same way." Chad explained.

Right then Taylor could feel her heart sink and break in two. Chad had his eye on another girl. Now she knew she'd never have a chance. But she couldn't act like something was bothering her. She had to keep on a straight face.

"So I wanna know why you treat me this way. I'm thinking, maybe if I know why you act the way you do around me, maybe I can find out if it's the same way with the other girl." Chad continued.

"Start off with what she's like." Taylor said simply, refusing to make any eye contact.

**Wouldn't I love**

**Love to explore that shore up above**

**Out of the sea**

"She's nothing like me. She's like my exact opposite. She's the smartest girl in school. She's always thinking about schoolwork." Chad said. "She's compassionate and caring and pretty…. And the funny thing about it is that we don't even come from the same world. I heard that even though she doesn't have the same privileges that I do she still holds her head high. She's classy and sophisticated and smart…"

Taylor didn't even stop to think about all the similarities between her and this mystery girl. She just started talking. "Did you ever think that those are exactly the reasons why she tries not to pay attention to you? She has so much other stuff on her plate that she doesn't want to be bothered with you or anything. Total opposites is what you two are and you know how things are at school. Whatever kind of girl you've got your eye on you should probably just forget about her. I'm sure that if she were in your shoes she'd do the same thing."

"Oh…" Chad's face fell. "So what you're saying is that she's not interested.

"Trust me, if it's one of the girls on my Decathlon team or in any of my classes, she'll want nothing to do with you." Taylor replied. She started to exit the car once Chad pulled in front of her house. She didn't care anymore that he knew where she lived or anything. She just wanted to get away from him.

**Wish I could be**

"It's not one of the girls on your team or in your classes." Chad said quickly.

Taylor slowly turned back to him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It's someone else." Chad admitted. "If you want the truth, that girl is all of those things I said she was. But she's barely even talked to me before today."

"You can't have every girl you want at the palm of your hand Danforth." Taylor told him. "And you can't win them over either."

"So I suppose you know the secrets?" Chad guessed.

"There's a lot of things I know that you don't." Taylor said simply.

"So maybe we can talk about them sometime?" Chad asked. "Maybe over dinner?"

Taylor slowly raised an eyebrow, trying to keep her cool. Did Chad just sorta kinda ask her out? No way this was happening. But she knew it was. It wasn't a dream or anything. Maybe one dinner wouldn't hurt. After all this is what she wanted all along. She might as well go with it and enjoy it while it lasts. Who knows, maybe she'll find out something about Chad she completely hates and won't want anything to do with him anymore.

"I think we can work something out." She decided with a smile.

"It's a date then." Chad grinned.

Taylor took a long look at him and then nodded in agreement, the smile plastered onto her face. "Yeah. Yeah it is."

**Part of that world

* * *

**Yeah this one was lame-ish wasn't it? I've got other ideas for songs though, so they'll be up on here soon. What ideas for songs do you guys have? I've got ideas from hercules, maybe another one from the Lion King, and other ideas that I'll probably remember again in ten minutes. So thank you for the reviews on the stories so far, at least before this one, and there will once again be more to come soon!


	8. Denial

Ok so this is one I've been thinking about for a while now. I asked which version of "I Won't Say I'm in Love" should go in here, and Rose of Hope was the only on that suggested the original song. Yeah, the original is pretty good. So that's what we've got in over here. You know that the flashbacks will be in italics and the song in bold, right? Ok, good then.  
I do not own the song, Hercules, HSM, or any of the characters. But you already know that, right? But man, how cool would it be to own HSM? What would you do if you owned it?

* * *

**If there's a prize for rotten judgement**

**I guess I've already won that**

**No man is worth the aggrevation**

**That's ancient history**

**Been there, done that**

"Hey Tay Tay." a guy's voice greeted, which nearly made the girl jump.

Taylor turned to see Chad behind her. She rolled her eyes but smiled slightly. "You really need to stop doing that."

"Really? But I have so much fun doing it." Chad whined playfully. He pecked her on the cheek.

Taylor palyfully shook her head. "Alright Lunkhead, you're off the hook this time. But I'm going to be keeping my eye on you."

"I look forward to it." Chad winked with a smile before he walked off.

Taylor smiled and turned back to her locker. As she closed it she could see her friend Gabriella walking over. "Another content encounter with Chad this morning?" Gabriella guessed.

"You could call it that." Taylor nodded.

"You know, you've seemed so much happier since you two started going out." Gabriella observed. "It's like eve though you two are complete opposites you highlight the best attributes in each other."

"Ok Gabriella where are you going with this?" Taylor wondered.

Gabriella's smile grew on her face. "It kind of looks like love to me." she teased.

Taylor giggled. "Me? Love Chad? Very funny Gabriella. I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm just saying what it looks like." Gabriella stated. "How do you know you're not in love?"

"Because I just like him. A lot. He and I are boyfriend and girlfriend. We've never even gone at it before. It's not love, Gabriella." Taylor replied.

"You say that now. But denial's only the beginning." Gabriella stated. She passed by Taylor and walked away.

Taylor shook her head in disbelief. "No way." she told herself. "There's nothing going on like that between me and Chad. I like him and he likes me. It's that simple. Why would I be in love with Chad Danforth?"

**Who'd ya think you're kiddin**

**He's the Earth and heaven to you**

**Try to keep it hidden  
**

**Honey, we can see it right through you**

**Girl you can't conceal it**

**We know how ya feel and**

**Who you're thinkin of**

_Taylor was laying in her bed sick. She couldn't believe that she was missing school. Her perfect attendence record was now officially down the drain. All because of some stupid fever. So she wasn't feeling well, she could suck it up for school. But still, just laying in bed staring at her ebdroom walls was pretty boring. She wished that something could be more exciting, and she wasn't thinking just going to sleep and having exciting dreams. Worst part was, she'd have to wait until at least three to get any homework from her friends._

_With nothing better to do she just slowly let herself fall asleep. It was only ten in the morning after all. What could happen between ten and three that would actually want to keep her awake? Well wouldn't you know it, but about fifteen minutes later Taylor heard her cell phone ring. She slowly woke up and rolled her eyes. It was probably her mother to check on her or something. "Hello?" she yawned._

_"Hey Tay. How are you feeling?"_

_Taylor blinked. That wasn't her mother's voice. "Chad?" she asked in disbelief._

_"In the flesh. Or...virtual flesh. Imaginary flesh...something like that." he replied._

_That made Taylor giggle, almost forgetting that she was sick. "Why are you calling? You're in school right now."_

_"And in free period." Chad replied. "I came into the boy's bathroom and I'm gonna spend the next forty-five minutes entertaining you."_

_"Over the phone? You know you're going to get in trouble." Taylor informed him._

_"Maybe," Chad shrugged, "But I think it's worth it. So how are you feeling?"_

_Taylor smiled. Chad was actually risking getting in trouble, not for a stupid dare, not to pick a fight with anyone, but to actually see how she was doing. "I'm alright." she admitted. "Just really bored and my head hurts a little."_

_"Hey, it'll pass." Chad assured her. "Besides, it'll only be the end of the world if the stupid cold does you in. And nothing can ever do that."_

_"You make it sound so simple." Taylor stated. "But I'm not dropping off the ends of the Earth just because I'm sick."_

_"I know." Chad chuckled. "So what can I do to make sure that'll never happen?"_

_Taylor smiled. She continued talking to Chad, until he had to get off at the end of free period. But even after that Taylor was able to sleep so much more soundly. She could feel herself getting better already. She wouldn't know what to do if Chad didn't call when he did. He must have really been worried about her._

**No chance, no way**

**I won't say it, no, no**

**You swoon, you sigh**

**Why deny it, uh-oh**

**It's too cliché**

**I won't say I'm in love**

_"Come on Chad, please? I really want to go to that expo tomorrow night." Taylor sighed._

_"It's just a weird art museum. You don't even like art." Chad replied._

_"It's not weird, Chad. People work hard all their lives to create a visual masterpiece that can really express feelings hidden in other people." Taylor argued. "Please, just one date over there?"_

_"Not unless you want me to fall asleep." Chad shook his head._

_"Hey I don't fall asleep at your basketball games." Taylor defended herself. "And I know for certian that the last couple of times you came to my Decalthon competition you didn't fall asleep either or your snoring would have thrown everything off course and I would have been publically humiliated."_

_"You just made it seem more interesting. You were sitting there the whole time acting confident until it was your turn. And you got everything you had to done in like under a minute. That's the same why I am with basketball." Chad replied._

_"So if you'll watch me in my Decathlon competitions why won't you come with me to the museum?" Taylor asked. "I'm not even a high maintainanced girlfriend who tryies to go everywhere with you. All I'm asking for is a little compromise."_

_"Compromise, huh?" Chad asked. He saw Taylor nod and then he nodded. "You've got a deal then. We'll negociate."_

_Taylor crossed her arms and nodded. "I'm listening."_

_"I'll take you to the art museum tomorrow night. That'll be our date for the night." Chad proposed. "But then we have to go somewhere I want for the next date. Anywhere I want."_

_"And you promise not to fall asleep or make a scene about being bored?" Taylor questioned._

_"I promise." Chad nodded. "You've got my word, Tay."_

_"So then where do you want to go in return?" Taylor asked._

_"I heard that next weekend the carnival is gonna be in town." Chad smirked._

_"Chad, no." Taylor insisted. "Those rides can be so dangerous. And do you know how high up some of them go?"_

_"I'm gonna be with you the whole time." Chad said, aware of Taylor's fear of heights. "So you give me some advice on how to sit through an art museum without being bored out of my mind, other than staring at you the whole time, and I'm not gonna leave your side the entire time we're at the carnival except to go to the bathroom."_

_Taylor thought for a minute. His offer was awfully tempting. She could imagine being in Chad's arms on the high rides and just clutching to him if she were that scared. So would it really be worth it to go through that when she might be publically embarrassed at the museum? She took one look at Chad's face and the answer came to her that much easier._

_Yes it was._

**I thought my heart had learned its lesson**

**It feels so good when you start out**

**My head is screaming get a grip, girl**

**Unless you're dying to cry your heart out, oh**

_Taylor sat in the waiting room at the hospital. She was trying her best to be strong and not to cry. But she wanted to so badly, she just wasn't sure how much longer she could hold it in. She didn't even see her parents come in yet, how much longer was it going to take them to get there? All she could think about was her little brother in the hospital, and it was all her fault. Unable to contain her emotions anymore, Taylor just pulled her legs into her chest and put her head into her knees._

_At that time Chad was walking down one of the hallways. He happened to spot Taylor on one of the chairs. But from his first look at her he knew something was wrong. "Taylor." he called, jogging over to her._

_Taylor picked her head up slightly, even though her face was tear-stained. She looked up at Chad with sad eyes. "Hey." she whispered._

_Chda looked at her concerned. "Tay what's wrong?" he asked her. He sat down on the chair next to her._

_"What are you doing here?" Taylor asked, not even answering his question. But that was probably her way of beating around the bush._

_"I came with my mom to see my aunt." Chad replied. "She just had a new baby, so that's another cousin to add to my family. We wanted to see how they were doing."_

_"Great." Taylor sighed. "You get someone new into your family and I might lose someone in mine."_

_"What?" Chad blinked, concerned and confused. "Tay what are you talking about?"_

_Taylor bit her tongue as she let fresh tears fall. "It's my brother. I went to go pick him up from school today. And I take my eyes off of him for one minute Chad, one minute. And the next thing I know he's gone. He runs out of my sight and into the street...."_

_Chad didn't even let her finish. He pulled her into a tight hug, knowing how much this was hurting. "It's ok Tay." he whispered. "He's gonna be ok."_

_"You don't know that." Taylor choked as she buried her face in Chad's chest._

_"Ok, so maybe I don't." Chad admitted. "But you can't think the worst is gonna happen. You know there's a lot of strong people in your family, Tay. What's gonna happen if your brother saw you out here like this? He'd think the worst would happen, too. But it's not going to. He's got your strength, Tay. You're not gonna lose him."_

_"But it's my fault he's in there, Chad. He's in there because I didn't watch him like I was supposed to. he's never gonna want to talk to me again." Taylor cried._

_"That's not true." Chad shook his head. He gently rubbed Taylor's head, his hands going through her hair, and kept his other arm tight around her back. "Ok, so maybe things look bad from we're you're sitting. But that's how it always is. It doesn't always end that way. And it's not gonna end this way either. If your bro's anything like you, he'll just blame himself for what happened. He's not gonna hate you, Tay. No one ever could. You're his role model, Tay. He'll never be mad at you forever."_

_They sat there in the waiting room for a little longer. Chad let Taylor vent to him and not once did he let her go. Finally, she was told she could go in and see her brother. Taylor had nodded at the nurse who gave her the message and slowly stood up._

_Chad got up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want me to go in with you Tay?"_

_Taylor looked at Chad. She smiled gratefully but shook her head. "I need to do this on my own. He's my brother." she replied. "But thanks for just being here."_

_Chad smiled and nodded. "Any time." he replied before letting her go in._

_And aside from a broken leg, her brother turned out to be just fine._

**You keep on denying**

**Who you are and how you're feeling**

**Baby we're not buying**

**Hon, we saw ya hit the ceiling**

**Face it like a grown up**

**When ya gonna own up**

**That ya got, got, got it bad**

_"So you must be excited for the summer." Taylor stated._

_Chad looked up from the games he had scattered on his bedroom floor and up at Taylor who was sitting at the edge of his bed. "And why do we think that?"_

_"Exhibit A. You spun our drama teacher around and kissed her on the cheek." Taylor stated, holding in a chuckle as well as some slight jealousy._

_"Oh come on, you saw how thrilled everyone was. Anyone could have done that in their last class too." Chad defended with a shrug._

_"Exhibit B. You were practically dancing in the hallways after that last bell rang." Taylor continued._

_"Everyone was dancing and you know it. You were doing it, too." Chad replied._

_"Exhibit C." Taylor finished, ignoring his comment. "You kissed me."_

_"Did I?" Chad asked, nearly feezing._

_"To be more specific, it was a peck on the lips, but still a form of a kiss. Would you like the exact definition?" Taylor replied._

_"No, I'm good thanks." Chad replied. "But when did I...?"_

_"When we were all running out the front doors of East High. Zeke and jason were trading high five's and going crazy. Ryan was jumping for joy. Sharpay was already on the move to her convertible to drive home. Troy and Gabriella were locking hands and staring at each other. You grabbed me by the wrist, pulled me in and kissed me." Taylor explained._

_"Whoa, nothing gets by you." Chad stated._

_"Hence my observation skills. I see it all Chad and from what I saw today, this was the most exciting last day of school you've ever had." Taylor said._

_"Hey, we're gonna be seniors next year." Chad replied. "We're gonna rule the school and everything. Troy and Gabriella are gonna be East's winning couple and we're gonna be right up there with them."_

_Taylor rolled her eyes. "You don't have to lie, Lunkhead. I can see right through you and you know it. If you kissed Ms. Darbus in all of the excitement then who's to say that you didn't kiss me for the same reason?"_

_"I think I'm at liberty to say." Chad shrugged._

_"Then speak away." she offered._

_Chad nodded. He sat down beside Taylor. "Last I checked, we were the ones dating. Not me and Darbus. And I know you were jsut as excited to get out of school as anyone else, so don't try to play dumb.... Which is the last thing you are."_

_"Nice save." Taylor stated._

_"I wanted to start this summer off right. I have a really good feeling about it, Tay." Chad said. "I wanted it to be a great summer with my friends. I wanted it to be a summer with no school work, no Ice Princess, nothing that we deal with most of the year. I wanted the summer to be something really good to remember. And I wanted it to be the summer of my first kiss."_

_Taylor quirked an eyebrow. "Your first kiss?" she repeated._

_"Yeah." Chad nodded, a bit embarrassed. "I mean I know I dated other girls before, but I never kissed any of them. Sometimes I wanted to but then I realized that it wouldn't be special. I wanted to save myself for someone special."_

_Taylor smirked playfully. "So have you found that special person yet?" she inquired._

_Chad smiled and nodded. "As a matter of face, I happen to be looking at her right now."_

_And that's when they shared their first real kiss._

**No chance, no way**

**I won't say it, no, no**

**Give up, give in**

**Check the grin, you're in love**

**This scene won't play**

**I won't say I'm in love**

_Chad's jaw dropped as he saw Taylor walk in the first day of senior year. He didn't know how else to put this, so he just came right out and thought it: she looked so much hotter than last year._

_Her straight black hair was now cut shorter and at an angle, a bit past ear-length. Her smiel looked brither than ever, and her wardrobe was completely different. A bright yellow light sweater vest with a white t-shirt and a plaided yellow skirt with low heels. And Chad just couldn't take his eyes off of her._

_"Man Tay, when you said you were gonna reinvent yourself when we were done working at that country club you weren't joking." Chad smiled._

_Taylor smiled seductively and spun in a circle in front of Chad. "Do you like it?"_

_"Man, you look totally amazing!" Chad agreed eagerly. "And your hair..." he reached out to touch it._

_Taylor giggled. "It's just hair, Chad. Just because I cut it doesn't mean it's going to bite."_

_Chad chuckled and gently ran his fingers through her hair. "Still as soft as ever."_

_"A little more professional looking for the new student body president of East High, if I do say so myself." she boasted._

_"Trust me, that is not an exaggeration." Chad smiled. "Let me just see if anything else changed about you."_

_"What could you possibly mean by that?" she asked innocently._

_Now Chad was the one who was smiling seductively. He pulled her in for a kiss, and she returned the gesture. It was a fairly quick kiss, partially to avoid trouble. "And your kissing's still as great as ever." he smiled._

_"So you really like it all then?" Taylor aked with a smile._

_Chad grinned and put an arm around her. "You look great in everything that you wear."_

**You're doin flips**

**Read our lips**

**You're in love**

**You're way off base**

**I won't say it**

**Get off my case**

**I won't say it**

**Girl, don't be proud**

**It's ok, you're in love**

During free period Chad was in the gym working on a few free throws, as usual. It was just what he did. And of course he wasn't surprised to see Taylor walk in not too long after he had already started.

"Hey Tay." he greeted with a smile. "What have you been doing all day aside from taking notes and tests?"

"Just a lot of thinking." Taylor shrugged, returning the smile.

"You've even got your thinking face on." Chad smiled. "I'd know it anywhere."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Taylor decided.

"Good, cause it was meant to be one." Chad grinned.

"And I see you've got your game face on as well." she smiled.

"Always do." Chad shrugged.

"But you're not in a game with anyone. There's no other jocks here in the gym. What's the game face for?" Taylor asked innocently.

"Just a special game." Chad replied with a smile.

"And what game would that be?" Taylor asked. She stepped towards him so they were only inches apart.

"This game." Chad answered with a smile. He blocked the last bit of space between their faces and kissed her. Taylor kissed him back and placed her hands on his shoulders. Chad responded by putting his arms around her waist. It remained a simple kiss for a while, and then Chad wrapped one arm around her waist and the other one around her back. He reached so he could run his fingers through the ends of her hair. Taylor replied by wrapping her arms around Chad's neck and pulling him in closer.

Maybe to other people it was just Taylor's and Chad's way of saying that they liked each other. But to Taylor that kiss meant so much more than any other.

**Oh...**

**At least out loud**

**I won't say I'm in love  
**

**

* * *

**Yeah this one was much longer wouldn't you say? Like the fluff that was in there? There was fluff in there, right? But oh man, now I've got this song stuck in my head! XD Crazy how it all works out isn't it? So I'm gonna try and get one more story up today, and then I'll see what I can get in tomorrow. I know there's gonna be school off tomorrow and everything but I'm stuck with work, so that means about five or so hours away from the computer. Not the end of the world, right? Right? That just means more suspense for you guys. XD Oh come on, you know I'm playing around right?


	9. Trip

Ok, I couldn't hold it in, I had to get another chapter in as fast as possible. I've gotten a lot of comments about these C&T stories. i'm sorry, but like I said, I'll combine their names when I'm good and ready. I've also asked for ideas on what songs to use for later chapters. I got a few different suggestions and then I got a few different ideas for one shots. The one in this chapter was one of the songs I was thinking. So every time I write a chapter with a song of someone else's suggestion I'm giving credit to whoever came up with the idea. ^^ So I should also give some credit for this idea to Rose of Hope.  
And once again I own nothing mentioned in the stories.

* * *

"C'mon Tay, you know you wanna come." Twenty-four year old Chad Danforth teased.

Taylor McKessie smiled politely, but shook her head. "I appreciate the offer Chad, but I should really focus on finishing Grad School."

"It'll just be for a week Tay, I promise." Chad said. "It's for our anniversary, remember?"

"How could I forget?" Taylor shrugged.

It was true; Taylor and Chad have been dating since junior year in high school. That's about a total of six years by now. Sure, there had been some problems when they went off to different colleges and even in high school there had been a few close calls with their relationship. But they've still been together. No one would have ever thought it either.

Chad was always the athletic one. He was a baseball and basketball star in high school and was continuing to pursue a career in one of those cases. He was strong, confident, and always stood up for what he believed in. Sure, he was egotistical and a bit selfish sometimes, not to mention pretty clueless. But no one could mistake him for his charm. Chad was a really great guy deep down, and Taylor was the only one he would reveal any feelings to. It was obvious how crazy he was about her.

Taylor on the other hand had class. She never backed down from an argument and knew to speak her mind. She was stubborn and was one to jump to conclusions easily, not to mention could really be angry at someone and not let it go. But from what her friends knew about her, she was smart, sweet, and the one to go to for advice. Likewise, Chad was the only one she would reveal any feelings to. She trusted him even though they were so different. And she was happy that they had lasted for so long.

**I can show you the world**

**Shinning, shimmering, splendid**

**Tell me, Princess, now when did**

**You last let your heart decide?**

**I can open your eyes**

"So does that mean you'll come with me?" Chad asked. "You always said how you wanted to go to Spain."

"Who wouldn't want to?" Taylor replied. "I mean, there is such a history behind the culture. And there are so many historical landmarks there. It's the perfect place to learn about it and everything. And it's an even better place to learn the language."

"So why not go?" Chad asked.

"You know I have schoolwork to catch up on, Chad." Taylor sighed.

"But you can't focus on that forever. We've barely even had any time for ourselves lately. This would be perfect for us." Chad said.

"And how do I know you're not really hiding something behind all of this?" she teased.

"If I was hiding something you would've found out by now." Chad chuckled. "Like that time I was trying to get my mom to distract you while I snuck those flowers into your room..."

"Not even close Chad." Taylor shook her head with a smile. "You didn't stand a chance and you know it."

"Ok so what are you saying? You wanna go some place other than Spain?" Chad asked.

"I'll be happy wherever we go Chad." Taylor promised. "Just as long as it's the two of us."

Chad smiled and kissed Taylor on the forehead. "You've got it."

**Take you wonder by wonder**

**Over, sideways and under**

**On a magic carpet ride**

**A whole new world**

**A new fantastic point of view**

**No one to tell us no**

**Or where to go**

**Or say we're only dreaming**

"Bonjour Barcelona!" Chad cheered as he stepped into the hotel room two weeks later.

Taylor giggled and shook her head. "That's French, Chad. In Spain you speak Spanish. You should say 'Hola Barcelona'."

"Oh, right..." Chad said, a bit embarrassed. "I knew that."

Taylor laughed and put her bags down. "Ok, so if just being here in Spain is my anniversary gift, how will I ever top it off?" she asked with a flirtatious smile as she sat down on the bed.

"That depends. When do I get my gift?" Chad asked as he sat down beside her.

"All in good time, my lunkheaded friend." Taylor smiled.

"So you're just gonna make me wait and keep me in suspense." Chad said. "You just wanna see me beg don't you?"

Taylor smiled and winked, but said nothing.

"Can I at least get my thank you for taking you hear then?" Chad asked with a pathetic puppy dog face.

Taylor laughed. "Alright boy, get over here then." She playfully pulled Chad in and kissed him.

Chad kissed her back and wrapped his arms around her. His hand went through her hair and he slowly uplled a few strands to the front as he cupped one of her cheeks in his hands.

Taylor held onto his shirt for a minute as he was tugged in by her and the she gently ran her fingers down his neck as he other hand ran through his curly hair.

**A whole new world**

**A dazzling place I never knew**

**But when I'm way up here**

**It's crystal clear**

**That now I'm in a whole new world with you**

It's hard to believe that Chad and Taylor were that crazy about each other. That they were even able to stay together for that long. They had grown up in two different worlds from day one. Both of their fathers were really strict and dind't like that they were seeing each other. Taylor's father was especially rpotective of her when it came to boys. He didn't even want her dating until she was eighteen. But that entire time she never told her parents that she and Chad were dating. She kept it secret and hardly ever let Chad in her house unless she was the only one in there. Chd's dad on the other hand never had a good feeling about Taylor. He thought she would distract him from sports. He was under the assumption that any girl who focused just as much on sports or had something to do with sports would be much better for him.

Their mothers were another thing. Taylor's mother died when she was younger. She only knew Chad when Taylor and he were children. And even then she didn't seem to approve of them. Example: Taylor's tenth birthday party. Taylor was inviting her whole class to celebrate her birthday, which included Chad. The second that Chad walked into the house, Taylor's mother ordered him to leave and stay away from her daughter. Chad's mother was the only one who seemed so calm and relaxed. She was open to Chad making his own decisions and while she would watch the two really closely at first but then become more comfortable with them together. She supported Chad and Taylor and was willing to help them. She would even joke about them giving her grandchildren. Chad and Taylor on the other hand found it embarrassing, partially because they had almost done it one time but didn't get very far as they were caught.

But the important thing was that they were together now and getting ready to have the time of their life. And Taylor amde sure that Chad knew she didn't want to take their relationship too much further until she finished Grad School. She just wanted it to be the two of them together. And Chad was thrilled with that, just to have her with him. He even turned down offers to play for teams like the Celtics and Lakers because he knew about all the traveling that would be involved. Like he would ever give up the chance to be with his one and only.

**Now I'm in a whole new world with you**

**Unbelievable sights**

**Indescribable feeling**

**Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling**

**Through an endless diamond sky**

**A whole new world**

"Oh man how awesome was that chocolate factory?" Chad asked with a wide smile.

"You'll say anything to get free chocolate." Taylor laughed.

"It was good chocolate." Chad said defensively.

"I know, I ate it too." Taylor said.

"Oooh, more chocolate for me." Chad teased flirtatiously.

"In your dreams Danforth." Taylor laughed. "Maybe tonight."

"So I can have a little chocolate say...before bed? During bed? In bed?" Chad asked.

"You're pushing your luck Chad." Taylor warned, though she couldn't hide her smile.

Chad chuckled. He ran behind her to catch up and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hey let go!" Taylor gasped through a few giggles.

"Not until I get my chocolate." Chad laughed.

"Get your own chocolate." Taylor replied.

"I'm holding my own chocolate." Chad grinned.

"Then we'd better find some place that isn't in the middle of barcelona then." Taylor smiled.

**Don't you dare close your eyes**

**A hundred thousand things to see**

**Hold your breath - it gets better**

**I'm like a shooting star**

**I've come so far**

**I can't go back to where I used to be**

"Come on Chad, you can do this." Taylor laughed.

"Tay it doesn't matter how fast this Spanish music is. I can't dance to it." Chad replied.

"Don't be such a chicken. You can dance and you know you can." Taylor said.

"No way, no how, no chance." he shook his head. "I don't dance."

"Alright then." Taylor shrugged simply. "I'm just going to have to find a new dance partner then." She started walking away from Chad and eyed the other boys in the room.

Chad's eyes widened. "Taylor wait!" he gasped. He ran over to her and grabbed he by the wrist. "You're not really finding a new dance partner are you?"

"You act so scared." she said innocently.

"Yeah, that I'm gonna lose you to some other guy who's gonna sweep you off your feet." Chad replied.

Taylor giggled. "Chad everything we go through here it's going to be together. Just like we promised." she said. She took his hand and led him back over to the dance floor. "Come on, I'll show you hat to do. Think of this as a part of your anniversary gift. This way the next time we dance together you can lead me on your own."

Chad smiled and nodded. "I think that works for me." he said.

"And what do you say when I help you with something important?" Taylor asked flirtatiously.

"I give you my special thank you." Chad smiled. As Taylor showed him around the dance floor the two of them began kissing. And it slowly turned into a gentle make out session. That is, until two minutes later when they were the only ones left in there. By then it was time for food.

**A whole new world**

**Every turn's a surprise**

**With new horizons to pursue**

**Every moment red-letter**

**I'll chase them anywhere**

**There's time to spare**

**Let me share this whole new world with you**

Chad smiled as he stepped out of the bathroom in the hotel room and saw Taylor already cuddled under the blankets. "Someone's looking a little sleepy." he whispered in a teasing tone.

"We've just had a long day." Taylor shrugged sleepily. "Exploring Barcelona, dancing, sight-seeing, shopping, eating..."

"And you're exhausted aren't you?" Chad asked, gently rubbing her head.

"I could be more exhausted." Taylor said.

"Well how about you get some sleep?" Chad suggested. "I'll just go grab some water from the kitchen and sleep on the couch tonight."

"You're not really going to do that are you?" Taylor asked.

"Why do you ask?" he replied.

"I'll get lonely." Taylor replied. She gave him her puppy dog face. And with Chad, he could never say no to that face.

"Alright." Chad agreed with a warm smile. "As long as you can stand sleeping next to a really sweaty guy."

"If you're going to be warm then take off your shirt." she suggested.

Chad smiled. "I love the way you think." he said. He slowly pulled off his t-shirt and then climbed into bed. He put his arm around Taylor and she snuggled in closer to him, one of her arms going around his neck and her hand into his hair. She smiled and kissed him gently on the lips. "Good night Lunkhead."

"Night Tay Tay." Chad replied with a smile. He pulled her in closer to him. It was time to explore another new world.

**A whole new world**

**That's where we'll be**

**A thrilling chase**

**A wondrous place**

**For you and me  
**

**

* * *

**Ok so how corny was that? The idea seemed a lot better in my head...before I typed it up and watched TV at the same time. XD Yeah, shame on me for that. And now I have no idea what else needs to be put here in this author's note. so I guess I'll just take a break and see what other ideas i can come up with. Until then, happy reading!


	10. Growing Up

Ok, I know I shouldn't be writing and watching the Simpsons at the same time, but I just had the most random idea for the next one shot and had to write it before I forgot it! This was another suggestion from Rose of Hope and the idea just bam went and hit me. As soon as you read the first line of the song you'll probably know exactly where it's going. I got another suggestion from someone else as well and I promise, that will be the next chapter up. If not today, then first thing tomorrow. ^^ Don't worry, I'll make sure it's a good one.  
And once again, I own nothing in the story. But I swear if I owned HSM I would make so many changes to it. What? Don't you guys have your own dreams of changing certain things in HSM to your liking?

* * *

**He's a tramp, but they love him**

**Breaks a new heart every day**

Chad Danforth's first date. Grade five. It was with Danielle Clements. They were just children so they didn't know much of what to do. Chad tried to impress her with a few basketball moves he was learning at school and a few he invented himself. But being the little girl that she was, Danielle wanted to do something more, well, girlie. So she started talking about her outfit instead and the latest Barbie doll. Then they tried talking about music. It was Britney Spears and N*Sync for a while, but after that the conversations became pretty dull. That was the end of Chad and Danielle.

**He's a tramp, they adore him**

**And I only hope he'll stay that way**

"Come on Chad what's so important about finding a girlfriend?" a girl on the other line of his phone asked.

Chad rolled his eyes at his life long friend. "Cause it's cool to date. You know you should really try to find a boyfriend sometime. You'll really get a life outta it."

"I don't need a boyfriend to be happy." she replied. "I've got friends and good grades, and that's all that matters."

"You just keep telling yourself that. But you'll see." Chad said. "One day I'm gonna find the perfect girl."

"Wanna make a bet out of it?" she asked.

"Bring it on." Chad challenged.

"Ok, then starting after the next girl you go out with you have to list something that you're looking for in a girl and the one thing you hated most about the one you just broke up with." she stated.

"That all?" he scoffed. "Done and done."

**He's a tramp, he's a scoundrel**

**He's a rounder, he's a cad**

Sixth grade. The first girl Chad asked out was Mariah Conway. She was a pretty face and close friends with some of the cheerleaders. Chad thought that would be a good in with those girls. That's why the second he started flirting with her in front of the other girls...well nothing happened at first. But when Chad made the basketball team then it was a big deal. All he needed was to wait for the right girl on the cheer squad to notice him. Then it was bye-bye Mariah.

**He's a tramp, but I love him**

**Yes, even I have got it pretty bad**

"I don't even know why I went out with her." Chad lied. "She was so clingy just wanting to show me off to her cheerleading friends."

"How could you even say that Chad?" his friend asked. "Why don't you tell me what you really hated about her?"

"She didn't give me enough space." Chad continued lying.

She rolled her eyes. "Then why don't you say what you are looking for in a girl?"

"Definitely someone who's prettier than Mariah ever was. She's gotta have the looks, and I'm not just talking about the face." Chad answered. "Her hair's gotta be soft, so when you touch it it wouldn't feel like it's all hard or something. And she can't be bulky. I wanna be able to wrap my arms around someone real good and pull her close. And she's gotta have a great smile. No metal or anything and no stinky breath. And really vibrant pretty eyes."

She sighed. Could he be any more specific? Then again, shallow might have been a better word. All he was talking about was looks. But maybe the next girl would give him something different to look for. She could only hope, like any other girl could. But Chad was a great athlete and noted to be the second best player on the school's basketball team. So as one could only imagine a lot of girls would be after him. They all wanted to be Chad's girl.

And the sad fact was that Chad didn't care about them. All he cared about was wanting a girl and being cool.

**You can never tell when he'll show up**

**He gives you plenty of trouble**

By eighth grade Chad had gone through ten other girls.

First there was Ami Jones. She had the looks and she was perky. But the problem was that she was the one using Chad to get to his best friend Troy Bolton, then dumped both of them for Jason Cross. That's what Chad hated about Ami. That she was manipulative. But you could only imagine how much trouble he had pronouncing the word. So he said the next thing he was looking for in a girl: loyalty. He wanted a girl who would be loyal to him and only to him.

Next there was Sherri Grover. She was loyal to Chad and was pretty, but he really never had any space from her. Chad wanted his "man space" as he called it. A time for guy things and only guy things and a girl that would understand that. So he decided that the next thing in a girl he wanted would be someone who wasn't a cheerleader. Someone who he wouldn't see every time he went to pick up a ball or saw as soon as he sat with his teammates in the cafeteria.

That didn't stop him from dating other cheerleaders. Chad couldn't give the memo to himself. Girls three, five, and nine were all cheerleaders. One wanted to jump right into the relationship but Chad didn't want to rush things. He wanted someone more understanding. Girl five was always in a bad mood. He wanted someone who would cheer him up when he lost a game. Girl nine was everything that he wanted and he almost seemed serious about kissing her. But as soon as he saw the braces in her mouth she was gone. So he wanted more looks. As in someone who wasn't just pretty, but more like beautiful. Drop dead gorgeous even.

The other five all had something wrong with them, according to Chad. He described one of them as stupider than him. So he wanted someone with brains. Another one had brains but she actually had five older brothers. Chad almost got beaten up by her once so he claimed he wanted a girl who was weaker than him. He wanted someone with talent. To him, the next girl was nothing but a clone of someone from an old seventy's comedy. The next girl was in an even worse mood than girl five. Not bad mood as in depressing, but bad mood as in angry. She would glare at him for no reason. Back to Chad wanting someone who could make him feel better. By the time he reached the tenth girl, all he did was repeat what he was looking for.

By then he only had a few basic qualities: looks, loyalty, understanding, compassion, talented, weak. Every girl who he thought about asking out and then realized they didn't have any of those was out the door and forgotten about.

**I guess he's just no 'count pup**

**But I wish that he were double**

**He's a tramp**

By high school that's when all the real trouble started. Two years straight. The one girl that he used to be friends with he barely talked to anymore. But he never forgot about the bet they made when they were younger.

The next girl Chad took out was actually Sharpay Evans, the drama queen. She had beauty, some brains, talent, and at first seemed kind of weak. But she was a lot stronger than she looked. Chad liked that. She was the first girl he kissed. Things looked like they were getting serious between them. But then came Sharpay's temper. At first Chad found it attractive. He thought it made her look cuter. But the temper turned more into yelling. And Chad didn't like that from Sharpay. No one never knew who broke up with who, but either way they were done.

So what Chad hated most about Sharpay? She was selfish and self-centered. He wanted someone who would respect him, though he had made a side note about the temper thing. Mainly something to the extent of, "always compliment a girl how cute she looks when she gets angry". Or something like that.

But no matter how he sliced it, Sharpay wasn't the girl for him. And Chad really wanted a girl. Even after all those years he thought it'd be cool.

**He's a rover**

**And there's nothin more to say**

Guess how many more girls Chad went through by junior year? Well, it was easy for anyone to lose count. Even Chad forgot. He didn't even remember what he hated about each one of them. He had most of the components in the perfect girl he was looking for.

Beauty. Loyalty. Compassion. Respect. Understanding. Talented. Strong, but not stronger than him. Feisty. Sneaky. Smart. Classy.

And he thought he found it. Sierra Fisher. She had all of those things he was looking for. She was also seductive, nasty, confident, and feisty. Chad went further with her than any other girl he had gone out with. They dated for five months. Sure it started out slow at first. They put on the slow act at school mainly, but gave each other so many looks when they were out of sight from everyone else. It was their way of finding out if they were what the other really wanted. And Sierra really wanted Chad. And Chad thought for sure he wanted Sierra. It didn't even take long before their first kiss. Shortly after that their kisses became gentle make out sessions. Then heavy make out sessions.

Their heaviest one was when Chad knew he wanted to take the next step with her. Yup, the big three letters. And Sierra had wanted that from the longest time. Yup, that's what she thought Chad was. Those big four letters. You know, those big three letters with that last letter at the end making it an adjective? Yes, that. Wanted to make sure you were keeping up with their little hints.

So they did start going at it. Chad had thought about using protection and he actually almost did. But Sierra got to him before he could do anything else. She did it heavier than he ever would have thought. It was a very painful night for him. Biting, scratching...well that's what it felt like to him. And every time he wanted to get out, Sierra wouldn't let him.

And just before that last bit of clothing was removed to officially start the whole thing, something hit Chad. It was like an epiphany. This wasn't what he wanted in a girl. Chad knew exactly what he was looking for. _Who_ he was looking for.

**If he's a tramp, he's a good one**

**And I wish that I could travel his way**

For the first time in years Chad ran to her. The one he had been friends with all those years ago. The one he made that bet with before. The one that was in front of him the whole time and he never even knew it. And boy was he glad he realized it before the new year. Because he made a resolution to talk to her and find a way to go out with her. She was who he was looking for and he wanted her to know that he had finally figured it out, how stupid he had been all those years.

"Hey." he smiled one day, meeting her at her locker.

She quirked an eyebrow and turned to him. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asked casually.

"Very funny." Chad chuckled. "We were best friends when we were younger."

"Correct me if I'm wrong - and trust me, I'm hardly ever wrong - but _were_ is the key word there. As in, past tense. As in, no longer best friends." she told him.

"But I wanted to talk to you about something." Chad said.

"You tune me out since middle school and now of all times you just decide to talk to me? I don't think so." she shook her head.

"Don't you want me anymore?" he asked, sounding hurt.

A giggle escaped her, though what she was trying to do was prevent it from sounding as nervous as she was. "You've got the wrong girl, hon. I never wanted you. We were friends. Nothing else."

"But we made that bet. About me and the other girls." Chad said.

"Don't worry, I'm sure that even after sleeping with half of the girls in our grade you still haven't found the right one." she said coolly. "Maybe all you need to do is grow up. Come to me when you do. And if you don't, then only come crawling back to me when something really matters." She turned on her heel and walked away.

**Wish that I could travel his way**

**Wish that I could travel his way**

"Taylor...wait...." Chad sighed, even though by now he was only begging to himself.

Yes, you guessed right. The girl that he finally figured out who he wanted above all the rest, that perfect girl in his eyes, the one he was looking for was Taylor McKessie. Head of the Scholastic Decathlon and president of Chemistry Club. Smart and strong. Always dressed for success and keeping an open mind when it came to her studies. Classy. Realizing that everyone on her Decathlon team was different and had different needs and respected them for their brains and hard work. Understanding. Respect. She kept so much to herself but Chad could tell that deep down there was so much about her that no one knew; he knew what she had underneath all of that icy outside and stubborn attitude. Talent. Her looks were decieving; she appeared like a good student on the outside but it always looked as though she were planning something. Sneaky. She never backed away from her friends or her team. Loyalty. Her hair always look perfect, soft and silky; Chad saw nothing wrong with her body; her smile looked like one in a million; and her eyes had so much insight to them. Pretty. And she wasn't as cold-hearted as she appeared sometimes; she was there for anyone that needed her. Compassionate.

Yes, Taylor had her flaws as well. But Chad didn't care about those. He saw things about her that he knew no other boy could see. He had to get her to know that. But her words echoed in his mind. _Maybe all you need to do is grow up. Come to me when you do. And if you don't, then only come crawling back to me when something really matters._ Chad didn't know how to grow up. He didn't know how to be like that in Taylor's eyes. So all he could do was go to her when something really mattered. When he knew that he couldn't do something alone and it would affect her as well.

That would happen after the upcoming winter break. When everyone started breaking free courtesy of two students. That's when Chad and Taylor got involved. That's what started it all.

**

* * *

**What'd you think? Kind of a start on how they got started and led up to the first movie, don't you think? No fluff in this one, but there's bound to be soon. Hey, I know romance makes drama just as much as the next person knows, but do we need it in every story? I hope not or I'll be hiding behind a pillow the entire time. XD You know I'm fooling around again, right? Cause technically I would only be able to hide from a romance if it were on TV right? Ok, am I that boring to pretend to talk to now? I can take a hint then. I'll just get started on the next chapter then and put it up tonight or tomorrow morning.


	11. Timeline

Ok I know I haven't updated all day and I'm really sorry to keep you waiting. But like I said, I had work today. And it wasn't fun. Luckily, for my not-life I have the rest of this week off from school before going back, so that means more time to update and everything. So if I don't get in anymore tonight then be in for about three or four by tomorrow. Anyway, this chapter is a request from digigirl02. I spelled that right, right? Hope so. But she asked for something from Beauty and the Beast, so here it is!  
Once again, I don't own Beauty and the Beast, the song, HSM, or the characters. But you already knew that right?

* * *

"Depressed much?"

The curly-haired boy turned to see Taylor standing a few feet away at him. He was at his locker and, as much as he hated to admit it, he was a bit down. "Why do you think that?"

"Because your mind looks like it's somewhere off the basketball court." Taylor observed. "So what's going on Chad?"

Chad sighed. Nothing could get past Taylor's keen eye. "I made plans with Troy so he and I could hang tonight. But then this morning Gabriella comes in and Troy jumps at the chance to go out with her even though the whole school must at least think they're a couple by now." He explained. "So it's almost night on a Friday and I've got nothing to do and no one to hang out with."

"So they got to you too, huh?" Taylor asked, making a face.

Chad glanced at Taylor. "Gabs broke plans with you, too?"

"We were going to get a head start on that extra credit project in Chemistry Class." Taylor replied. "But apparently science is nothing compared to Troy Bolton."

"And I guess sports and video games take a back seat to Gabriella Montez." Chad added with a nod. But maybe this wasn't so bad; it kind of gave him an idea. "Hey, do you wanna do something tonight?"

Taylor raised an eyebrow. She briefly looked around the slowly emptying hallway to see if Chad was talking to someone else. Ok sure, she did like Chad. Sure, they have gone out a few times before. But the two of them still didn't talk much. Their nerd and jock cliques didn't match, except for Troy and Gabriella.

Realizing he was indeed talking to her, Taylor turned back to him. "You're just desperate aren't you?" she assumed.

Chad chuckled. "Yeah, I'm so desperate that I can't think of a better way to ask you out." He nodded. "We have a date?"

Taylor wasn't one to show emotion easily. She'd try to act strong when she was scared. If she were upset, she'd act as though nothing were wrong. But in this particular case, it was different. Taylor really liked Chad and right now she was getting the vibe that he liked her back. So naturally she'd be excited for a date with him. But she wasn't going to go all girl crazy on him or anything; she had to keep it cool.

"It's a date." She agreed with a smile.

"Cool." Chad grinned. "I'll pick you up at seven then."

**Tale as old as time**

**True as it can be**

**Barely even friends**

**Then somebody bends**

**Unexpectedly**

"And then when he goes in to bob for those apples, he doesn't pull an apple out of the water. He pulls a soggy raisin cookie out of grape juice mixed with milk!" Chad burst out laughing.

Taylor hit her forehead. "How could you play such a disgusting practical joke on someone?"

"Hey the guy had it coming." Chad replied in between laughs. "And let me tell you, it was hilarious!"

All the two were doing was waiting for their food to arrive at the restaurant so they could eat dinner. And now because of Chad's whacked sense of humor Taylor was losing her appetite.

"It sounds more like an excuse to find out the worst possible food combinations." She stated, crossing her arms.

"Ok then McKessie, what's your idea of a bad food combination?" Chad challenged.

"You're joking, right?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"I joke you not. Bring it." he replied.

Taylor shrugged. "A sandwich."

Chad laughed. "That's it? Just a sandwich?"

"I'm not done yet." She shook her finger. "The sandwich, to reach its maximum gross content, would have to have the perfect combination of foods a person hates the most. And since it varies from person to person, here's how I see it. First, a slice of rye bread. Place some sliced pickles on the bread, then gently rub some margarine on them. Next make a small pile of raisins and combine them with onions and ice cream. Once that layer is complete, check the flavor of the ice cream. If it's a preferred flavor such as vanilla then quickly throw a worse flavor on top of it, ie, a mixture of Cherry Garcia and watermelon. And before adding that final slice of bread to top it off, make sure that either your least favorite cereal is in the mix or take your least favorite flavor of candy and put it on top."

Chad blinked. He never knew Taylor's mind could be so creative. A grin came on his face, clearly interested. "I'm liking the way you think Tay."

And although Taylor wouldn't admit it out loud she was enjoying Chad's thinking. Compared to the dinners with her parents when all they'd talk about is work and school, this was much more entertaining.

**Just a little change**

**Small to say the least**

**Both a little scared**

**Neither one prepared**

**Beauty and the Beast**

"No, no, no. There is no way in heck I'm doing the tango." Chad shook his head repeatedly.

"Oh come on Chad, the tango isn't going to kill you. And it's barely even a slow ballroom dance." Taylor replied.

"I don't dance Tay. Why do you think I hang around the guys or food table every time there's a dance at school?" he asked.

"I always thought it was because you couldn't get a date." She teased.

Chad blinked. "What, are you saying I couldn't get any girls before you?"

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not." She replied innocently.

"Ok, so you could be saying that. But if you're not then what are you saying? That I can't dance?" he folded his arms.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not." Taylor repeated in the same tone.

"Then prepare to be schooled McKessie." Chad challenged.

"Bring it on, Danforth." Taylor accepted.

One could only imagine how that dance went. Chad tried to take the lead but Taylor refused to follow and he only ended up doing it all wrong. She found it entertaining, but Chad thought it was more embarrassing. So Taylor ended up taking the lead and Chad reluctantly followed her, move for move. And she stepped back to let Chad take the lead again and Chad didn't even see it coming. He almost tripped and lost his grip on Taylor. That made Taylor lose her balance and nearly fall, but Chad grabbed onto her again and she ended up only slipping slightly in his arms. She stood up straight and locked eyes for a minute with Chad. Everyone else was still dancing but they had stopped dead in their tracks.

Finally, Chad shook it off with a smirk and tried to act like nothing happened. He took the lead once more. Taylor smiled and shook her head, knowing he was just putting on some kind of tough guy act or something. So she placed both of her arms around him and her head on his shoulders, which threw Chad off guard. He almost forgot the moves for a minute but quickly regained his position and kept dancing. It only took him five minutes before he got comfortable as he was and wrapped his arms around Taylor as they continued dancing.

**Ever just the same**

**Ever a surprise**

**Ever as before**

**Ever just as sure**

**As the sun will rise**

"How much longer are you going to show off Chad?" Taylor asked as she sat on a bench by the basketball court in the park. She was watching Chad show off his new basketball moves and work on his free throws.

"Oh come on Tay, you know you enjoy watching me work out." Chad teased.

Taylor only smiled and shook her head. "In your dreams maybe."

"Like you can do better?" he inquired.

Now Taylor was the one who smirked. "Pass me the ball." She replied.

Chad obeyed and tossed Taylor the ball. She caught it rather easily and walked onto the court. She stood where Chad was and threw the ball towards the net, only to miss the shot completely.

"Looks like you can talk the talk but you can't walk the walk." Chad stated as he went to pick up the ball.

"One must learn to crawl before learning how to walk." Taylor countered. "Show me how to crawl and I'll show you how far I can walk."

"You got yourself a deal." Chad replied. He walked back over to Taylor. He handed her the ball and stood behind her. He placed his hands over hers exactly where they needed to be on the ball. He helped her make that shot perfectly. He didn't even realize that he was still holding Taylor's hands after the shot was made. "One point for me." He grinned as he looked at Taylor.

Taylor turned her head upright to look at Chad, as his chest was now right up against her back and he was still holding her hands. "Then let's do it again." She decided.

"You're on." Chad smiled. He let go of Taylor's hands and went to get the ball. The cycle went on like that for a while, going back and forth like that. And Chad was really under the impression that Taylor couldn't make a shot without him. He backed away so Taylor could make one more shot by herself. She did exactly as she was shown but still ended up missing the basket.

"You really are pathetic." Chad chuckled.

"Then let's make it interesting." Taylor smiled. "I bet I can make the next shot from half court. I make the shot on my own, I give you a dare. I miss, you give me a dare."

"Then boy, you better hope you miss that shot. Cause I've got the perfect dare for you." Chad grinned.

"We'll see about that, lunkhead." Taylor teased. She walked over to get the ball. She dribbled it a little and then walked over to the middle of the court. She eyed her target carefully, squinting to make sure she'd get it right. And then she let the ball fly out of her hands and it swished right through the basket.

Chad's jaw nearly dropped. He really didn't expect her to make the shot. "Guess I'm a pretty good teacher huh?" he gloated.

Taylor giggled as she turned to him. "Maybe. Or maybe I just used the angles we learned in math class and applied them to the current situation to ensure I'd make the shot." She replied. "Or maybe it was a little of both." She added with a wink.

"So now I can't give you my dare huh?" Chad asked.

"Nope. I give you mine." Taylor replied.

"And that would be?" Chad asked.

Taylor only smiled. "I dare you to kiss me."

Chad was nearly frozen for a minute. But as soon as it sunk in that it was the dare, he was more than happy to do it. He leaned in and kissed Taylor, and she kissed him back.

**Tale as old as time**

**Tune as old as song**

**Bittersweet and strange**

**Finding you can change**

**Learning you were wrong**

"So we're finally seniors." Chad realized as he lay slightly on the beach. He was on his side with one arm in the sand and on a blanket and the other on his bent knee. "The big head hanchos at East High."

"Which means we really have to focus on our futures." Taylor stated. "As in, after high school."

"Well why can't we focus on right now?" Chad asked.

"Well we can…" Taylor assured him. "But we have to keep our priorities straight."

"We do have them straight." He replied. "I've got basketball and you've got the Scholastic thingy and Chem Club."

"Scholastic Decathlon." She corrected, slightly rolling her eyes. "And there's more than those and you know it. You're co-captain of the basketball team now. And captain of the baseball team. And I'm head of the Decathlon and president of Chem Club. And don't forget student body president and co-editor of our yearbook."

"So when do we have time for each other?" Chad asked.

She sighed. "You don't have to keep seeing me, Chad. I know what's really behind this."

Chad raised an eyebrow. "You do?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "The only reason we spend time with each other is so we're not lonely when Troy and Gabriella ditch us for each other. And the only other reason you'd even agree to be near me is to flatter me."

Chad sat up so he faced Taylor, who had been sitting upright the whole time. "What gave you that idea?"

"Just face it Chad. You wouldn't even be with me if I didn't give you that dare that night." Taylor replied.

"You don't know that." Chad defended himself.

"There's a lot of things I know Chad." She replied. "And I know that there is no us." Taylor shook her head and stood up. "I think I'll just go take the bus home."

Taylor started walking away, but Chad sprung to his feet and grabbed her by the wrist as she started walking away. He spun Taylor to face him and the pulled her in for a kiss, which he did.

Taylor broke the kiss and looked at Chad like he had five heads. "Really, what kind of fool do you take me for?" she asked.

"Look, I never back down from a dare." Chad replied. "But you never even knew what dare I would have given you. And if I didn't wanna be with you at all I would've tried avoiding you every time we would run into each other or every time we were with Troy and Gabriella as a group thing."

Taylor shook her head, not believing him. "Forget it. I should have never made you kiss me that night." She tried to leave again, but Chad would let her go. He got closer to Taylor so they were once again only inches apart. Chad paused for a minute so their eyes could lock, then he kissed her again. It was a gentle kiss, but it almost felt like he was trying to say something with it.

Taylor looked at Chad long and hard, unable to refrain from not holding a confused look. "You don't have to kiss me if you don't want to." She said softly.

"Who ever said I didn't?" Chad replied quietly. He kissed Taylor once more and wrapped his arms around her. Taylor returned the gesture and wrapped her arms around his neck. Neither pulled away.

**Certain as the sun**

**Rising in the east**

**Tale as old as time**

**Song as old as rhyme**

**Beauty and the Beast**

"So I guess this is it then huh?" Chad asked, not letting Taylor go.

"Yale is waiting. I have to get on that plane." Taylor replied, her forehead practically up against his.

"So we're not giving up on us then right?" he asked.

"Of course not." Taylor shook her head. "We said we were going to make this work, so we're going to make this work."

That made Chad feel a little better. He smiled. "Good. Because I'm not letting the best girl I ever met go without a fight."

Taylor smiled back. "And I'm not going to sit back and listen to some other boy drive me crazy when I've got the craziest one of the pack right here."

Chad kept smiling. He and Taylor gently kissed each other, but her rams stayed around his neck and his around her waist even after they pulled away. "So I guess I'll see you at Thanksgiving then?" he asked.

"Definitely." She nodded. She broke eye contact with a minute and looked down, then slowly picked her head back up. "I love you." She confessed.

"I love you, too." Chad replied, meaning every bit of it. "Just get there and back in one piece, ok?"

"Ok." Taylor agreed.

Then they shared one final kiss and slowly pulled away before Taylor boarded her plane for Yale University and Chad made his way back to town and attend the University of Albuquerque.

**Tale as old as time**

**Song as old as rhyme**

**Beauty and the Beast**

**

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**Ok if i owned HSM, there'd probably be more of this around. The movies aren't just about Troy and Gabriella, you know. Maybe making a series for kids and another one for teens wouldn't be so bad either. Something both parties could relate to, you know what I mean? But sadly, I don't own HSM and that's never gonna happen. But we've all got those dreams huh? So back, to the ending author's note of this chapter. I wanna say thanks for all the reviews I'm getting. Man there's so many I don't even know if I can type out all of the names without getting confused at some point or something. xD Maybe I can thank like two each chapter for reviews or something? But that would be even more confusing then wouldn't it? Oh well, on to the next chapter then! Another request for a song was "Two Worlds" from Tarzan. So which version would you rpefer? The original or Corbin Bleu's version? Love to see the responses for that one! XD But I'll wait a couple of chapters and put votes up for anyone who cares or even votes so then everything can be written and such. And now I shall take my cue and shut the heck up!


	12. Minds

Ok, so the song in this one was a request from Rose of Hope, I believe. Sorry to say that it isn't very long and there isn't much dialogue. Sorry to say that it may even be disappointing. But I thought it would be an interesting twist. Really, have you ever thought what goes on in Chad's and Taylor's minds, what they think about each other and all? Well this is how you find out. Now you know what they really think...or, sorta anyway. But you get the idea, right? I promise, the next ones will be better. And as far as votes go for which version of "Two Worlds" should be used, I got none. That could be because I only put up this chapter an hour or so after the one before it. XD  
Anyway, I own a lot of Stitch-related things. I own a Stitch backpack, the soundtrack from the first movie, two of the three movies, and a bunch of other things Stitch-related. But I don't own Lilo and Stitch or any of thier other movies and such. Makes sense, right? Hey I know Stitch isn't as classic Disney as the other ones I've used so far, but really who could hate Stitch?

_

* * *

Wise men say only fools rush in_

_But I can't help falling in love with you_

What was it about her that was so different? Was it the way she held her head up high when faced with argument everyone thought she would surely lose? Was it that smirk that came across her face when she outsmarted someone in a way she thought was so simple? Was it the way she showcased her brainpower in everything academic related instead of taking every five minutes to rub it in a person's face when they weren't as smart as her? Was it the style of her attire? Not preppy, not goth, not girlie…it was just classy. Sophisticated. Prepared. Maybe it was that gleam in her eye when she got excited about something but would never make a scene out of it? Or was it that smile? That bright smile she always got when she was content with something. Or maybe it was just those eyes, the ones that were so big and brown that they could lure anyone in unprotected.

Whatever it was about her, he just couldn't help but notice her and slowly let himself fall for her.

_Shall I stay_

_Would it be a sin_

_If I can't help falling in love with you_

What was it about him that attracted her attention? Was it how curly his hair was, or just thinking about her own hands roaming through them? Was it the way he lured in other girls with his charm that would make any girl who didn't have him jealous? Was it his body? How strong and athletic he was when he wore his basketball jersey? Surely any girl would love to be in such a pair of muscular arms and have her head up against his chest and feel those muscles while hearing his heart beat against her ear. Maybe it was his talent? Like the way he always tried to show off in front of girls and always carry a basketball around to show that he was just as important as any other player on the team and then prove his worth when it really mattered against such a challenging opponent for a title? Maybe it was his shirts. Just what they said on them, how they always had something catchy and humorous on them. Or was it his smile? One smile with those pearly whites of his and surely any girl would melt for him and do anything he asked. Or maybe it was his dark brown eyes. How they gleamed in that certain light and the passion he saw in anyone or anything in them.

She knew there was something about him that she liked, but she was unaware that she was slowly falling for him.

_Like a river flows surely to the sea_

_Darling so it goes_

_Some things are meant to be_

He was a jock. He was supposed to like cheerleaders. He was supposed to awe them and always grab one to pull in for a hug or a kiss after a big game was won. He was supposed to keep an eye on girls who had something to do with sports somehow. He had to go for the pretty and shallow ones. But that wasn't what he was looking for. He saw his girl and she was nothing like those cheerleaders.

But that was just it. She was nothing like them. He could never be seen with her without hearing the end of it. So many people would be against it, trying to tear them apart. They were on opposite ends of the clique system, never to interact outside of class. Jocks had to keep to their own territory: the gym, teammates, and cheerleaders. And what this girl had, he could never have. She would never be the one in his arms. All he could do was briefly glance at her while passing by in the hallway and pretend to not notice.

But he did notice. He noticed so much more than the girl. And he knew he was falling for her.

_Take my hand, take my whole life too_

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

She was a nerd. She wasn't even supposed to be thinking about boys or dating, let alone ones that didn't meet up to her intellectual standards. She was supposed to have nothing but grades on her mind and focus on her future. She was supposed to spend all of her time working and only interact with other smart kids. She had done just that. But that wasn't what she wanted. She knew what and who she was interested in and her life wasn't going to be all about school.

But that was just it. It couldn't be like that. If she took so much as a step closer to him she would never hear the end of it. Her friends would try and get her head back into the books and bury her within their pages forever. She was at the bottom of the clique system and he wasn't even close to it. She knew her place and she had to stay there: AP classes, the science lab, and other brainiacs. And what she saw in this guy, she could never see in any other guy, let alone have one like him. All she could do was look at him from the corner of his eye but turn her head as soon as he noticed and seem uninterested.

But she was uninterested. She was more interested in this boy than one could imagine. And she knew she was falling for him.

_Wise men say only fools rush in_

_But I can't, I can't help fallin' in love with you_

He barely even talked to her and yet he knew everything about her. She was studious, always keeping an eye on her schoolwork. She was loyal, always there to help her friends as soon as they needed it. She was pretty, never needing to overdo anything about her looks because what he saw was all natural. She was stubborn, never giving up a fight and never admitting to anything so easily. She was stoic, never showing many feelings and refusing to get too close to people or else she'd be seen as vulnerable. She was smart, always answering questions in class and tutoring younger kids to help better their education. She was cold, always giving people her icy attitude so they knew she was mad at them. She was talented, keeping so much about her home life secret when he knew that she was capable of so much more than just good grades and a great future.

But he was nothing like that. Her standards had to be so much higher than that of some jock. What good was he? He was just as stubborn, never backing down from a fight or challenge. He was cocky, letting anything someone say get to him so easily. He was selfish, often forgetting to put others before himself. He was dumb, lucky to maintain a C average and stay on the team. What could a girl like that ever see in him? But he knew that with her his better half could be brought out and he'd have someone special to share it with.

That's why he couldn't help but fall in love with her.

_Like a river flows surely to the sea_

_Darling so it goes_

_Some things are meant to be (some things are meant to be)_

She never spoke more than five sentences to him but she knew everything there was to know about him. He was athletic, showing everyone that his place was in basketball and that he had something going for him. He was strong, which was easily shown by his muscles on a jersey or t-shirt and easily just as seen by the speed at which he ran. He was funny, always cracking jokes in class and making it more entertaining. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, often mistaking one thing for another and letting his grades reflect it. He was energetic, always running somewhere or having something to do. He was cute, appearing just as attractive as any other player on his team and anyone could be lured in by his outer appearance and boyish charm so easily. He was sweet, and it could be seen deep down that if the situation really called for it then he'd reveal how much he cared about someone. He was stubborn, always putting up a fight with someone and never backing down from a battle. He was shallow, thinking that there was nothing more to a girl other than her looks. He was talented, but she knew that he had talent in so many other things than just sports even if he wouldn't admit it to his friends.

But she could never live up to that. His standards had to be too high for some nerd. What was so special about her anyway? She was stubborn, always needing to get involved with someone or something and never backing down from a challenge or admitting something. She was close-minded, not finding it easy to accept new things and being reluctant to change. She was a show-off, always bragging about how smart she was just by answering half the questions a teacher asked in class. She was hot-tempered, able to be angered easily and let someone know how she felt. What could a guy like him ever see in her? But she knew that opposites attracted and that so much more about her that even she didn't know could be revealed to the world and there'd be someone right behind her all the way.

That's why she couldn't help but fall in love with him.

_Take my hand, take my whole life too_

_For I can't help fallin' in love with you_

They were all that was left in the school. Basketball practice had already ended. The Chemistry Club's meeting was already adjourned. Every other student in the school was on their way home. Except for those two students.

She was at her locker and he was exiting the gym. He saw her there and stopped in his tracks. He spun around, hoping she hadn't seen him. What would he say?

She had caught sight of him from the corner of her eye as she put a few books away. Did he notice her standing there? What would she say if he did?

He took a deep breath and turned around and she closed her locker. They both stepped down the hallway, facing each other and walking in opposite directions.

He nodded simply to her. He didn't want her to think she was ignored or something. "Taylor."

She merely nodded to him. She didn't want him to think she'd be all over him just because of his status. "Chad."

They had barely even stepped five feet away from each other. Their backs were already facing one another and they were regretting not saying more. They stood in their respective hallway floor tiles, thinking about what to say.

He thought she had already left. Should he go after her? What should he say? How would she react? Would she say yes?

She thought he was long gone. Maybe she could try and catch up to him? But then what would he think? What would she say?

They quickly spun around towards each other, realizing that they weren't alone. They could feel the presence of someone else in the hallway and they knew it was the other. So now was the time to ask. It was now or never. And as soon as their eyes landed on each other they didn't think. They just blurt out their question simultaneously.

"Will you go out with me?"

They blinked, in complete shock. No, there wasn't an echo in the hallway. No, they weren't dreaming. No, they weren't crazy. Just as one had asked the question the other had asked the same thing at the same time. They knew that it had to be a sign. They knew it was meant to be.

And the smiles on both of their faces began to form and evidently grow as they automatically blurt out their response at the same time, he just as excited as her and vice versa.

"Yes!"

* * *

You already knew I don't own anything HSM related either, right? Ok, good. So this should be the last update for the evening. Tomorrow I'll see how many more chapters I can add and see which songs will come next. And...hm, I actually don't think there's much else for me to say here. So this must be the part where I somehow magically - or virtually - poof off. -_poof!_-


	13. Shot

Ok here is the next chapter. I'm not even sure how many more are going to go in here cause I have an idea for a story and I'm afraid to start it or else I'll neglect that story or these songfics, you know? So, I'll work something out one way or another. But while I'm worring about that, I wanna read other peoples' stories too. I get that there's school or work or something like that but the suspense is well...suspenseful. So in the meantime enjoy this chapter. Another song idea from Rose of Hope.  
Once again I don't own HSM, the characters, Tarzan, or Phil Collins. He'd probably cost a lot of money to buy anyway. XD

_

* * *

_

**Come stop your crying**

**It will be alright**

**Just take my hand, hold it tight**

**I will protect you from all around you**

**I will be here, don't you cry**

No. This couldn't be happening. There was no way this was real. It had to be a nightmare, just a bad nightmare. He was scared enough when his mother was in a car accident when he was thirteen. But this was so much worse. He was scared at one point where he thought he didn't have a future. This was definitely worse than that. But he never thought in his wildest dreams or nightmares that he'd be doing this right now.

Chad Danforth was rushing to the hospital and it wasn't even in his hometown. He had to board the next plane to Connecticut with his son. They had to see her as soon as they could.

She had promised that everything would be alright. She promised she'd be back in one piece. She promised that nothing would happen. But the promise couldn't be kept. The one girl that Chad cared about more than anyone else was in danger of dying. And he had no idea how she was doing or even sure if he'd land in enough time to see her.

**For one so small**

**You seem so strong**

**My arms will hold you,**

**Keep you safe and warm**

**This bond between us can't be broken**

**I will be here, don't you cry**

_"Are you sure you have everything?" Chad asked a week ago as he carried the suitcase downstairs._

_Taylor Danforth giggled as she turned to him. "Chad I told you, I checked everything twice, I have everything. I'm not carrying every piece of makeup I own or every outfit I wear."_

_"I know." Chad nodded. "I just don't want a phone call when you land complaining how you forgot something and can't live for two weeks without it." he joked._

_Taylor rolled her eyes and playfully hit his arm. "Very funny Chad."_

_"Hey, don't hit." Chad whined playfully. "You're gonna give Tony the wrong idea." He made a gesture towards their six year old son who was clutching onto Taylor's leg._

_Taylor giggled and picked Tony up. "Come on, look at that face. He doesn't look like he'd do any kind of harm."_

_Chad chuckled and playfully messed with his son's hair. "Nah, I guess not."_

_Tony turned to his mother and grabbed onto her shirt. "Mommy do you really hafta go?" he asked in his quiet voice._

_"I'm sorry sweetie, I have to." she apologized. "I have something to do at my old college there, I have to go. But I know you're going to be a good boy until I get back, right?"_

_"Uh-huh." he nodded._

_Taylor smiled. She kissed Tony on the head and then gently put him down. "I'm gonna miss you, ok? Be good." She gently moved some hair out of his face and then stood back up and turned to Chad._

_"Do you really think it's a good idea for you to go?" Chad asked. "What about the baby?"_

_"It's only at the four month mark, Chad. I'll be home in plenty of time before any drastic changes in my appearance are made." Taylor assured him._

_"And what about you?" Chad asked._

_"You know I'm going to be fine. It's just for two weeks." she replied. "I'm going to call you every night before I go to bed and any other change I get. You know I will."_

_"So you promise that everything's gonna be ok? You'll get there and back in one piece?" Chad asked again._

_"Now you're making me think something's going to happen here while I'm gone." Taylor laughed. She smiled warmly and rubbed his cheek with her hand. "I'll be fine. I promise. Nothing's going to happen."_

_Chad nodded. He put his hand over hers and smiled. "Ok." he agreed. "Have a good trip."_

_They kissed each other and Taylor pulled back and nodded. "Thanks. You be good, ok?" She eyed Chad and Tony, "Both of you."_

_Chad chuckled. "We will." He picked up Tony and Taylor grabbed her luggage._

_"I'll see you both in two weeks." she said. She smiled at her boys and blew them each a kiss. Then she was out the door._

**Cause you'll be in my heart**

**Yes, you'll be in my heart**

**From this day on**

**Now and forever more**

But she wasn't fine. The trip wasn't good. Maybe everything was fine for a week and a half but it all quickly turned upside-down. It was something that people would hear about on the new and then be grateful it was nowhere near where they lived. It was something that could be portrayed in teen shows and show the different things that could happen in schools. It was two words, but to Chad they were the two most devestaring words he had ever heard.

School shooting.

No one had any idea how, but someone on a school campus in Connecticut was armed with a gun. And the scene was caused at a party where numerous people were shot, a forth of them already pronounced dead. And it was the same college that Taylor was at for the two weeks. He heard nothing about her condition yet but Chad was hoping and praying that she hadn't gotten killed.

Now Chad wasn't a religious man. He never went to Church and he never really prayed. Main reason for that was because he was Jewish. Unorothodox Jewish maybe, but still Jewish. So he had never gone to Church, read the Bible, or even knew if he believed half the stuff Christianity taught. But he was respectful of that. He respected that Taylor was a little more religious at times than he was. She was Cahtolic and almost always prayed before bed. She wanted Chad to join her at times but was aware that it wasn't how he was raised. So they agreed to bring up any children they'd have on both religious rather than picking a side. But Tony didn't go to Hebrew School or Sunday School; Chad and Taylor had found a good balance for him between both religions. But now Chad was actually afraid. How could he raise his son on both beliefs if he knew squat about one of them? What would they do when the holidays came? Chad thought about all the holidays he spent with Taylor over the years. They would exchange gifts one night of Hannukah for him and then again on Christmas morning for her. They'd decorate Easter eggs together and thenenjoy the dinner that Chad's family prepared every Passover.

Oh man, family. What about the baby? Taylor was four months pregnant and if anything happened to her, the baby would never see the light of day. The boys just wouldn't be losing one life; they'd be losing two. Their family wouldn't be the same anymore. Chad would have to raise Tony by himself. He would have to sleep in bed alone. He'd have to clean the house and do the dishes. He would look at every picture of Taylor as he'd pass by around the house and wish that she was still there with them. Tony would grow up without a mother figure. He might not even remember her ten years down the road. He'd never hear his mother sing to him again. He'd never be able to touch her again or talk to her again. What would they do without Taylor? Chad couldn't bear to figure it out.

**You'll be in my heart**

**No matter what they say**

**You'll be here in my heart, always**

Chad held Tony in his arms as he practically rushed into the hospital the second they landed. Ok, it's an exaggeration; he just tried to get there as fast as they could after the plane landed. But either way, Chad was scared. Tony had almost no idea what was going on. One call from the unversity explaining the situation and that his wife was one of the people shot, Chad was on the next plane to Connecticut. And he took Tony with him, knowing that he had to be there.

Chad ran over to the reception desk, completely out of breath. "Where's...Taylor...Danforth?" he asked in ebtween breaths. "I need....to see...her...."

"I'm sorry sir, but you can't go in there yet." the lady at the desk replied. "They're still doing work on her."

"But..." Chad started.

"If you'll just take a seat, they'll call you as soon as soon as she's done." she said.

Chad sighed. He knew he had no other choice. At least Taylor was alive. That was a relief. But the question was, for how long? Was she suffering? Was she in danger of dying? How long have they been looking at her? Are they even doing anything to help her? All of those questions ran through his mind as he sat down in the waiting room and put Tony in the chair next to his. Chad tapped his foot rapidly on the tiled floor, clearly nervous. But he couldn't let his son see that he was scared. Then Tony would be scared, too. But Chad's head jerked to Tony when he felt him tugging on his sleeve.

"Is Mommy gonna be ok?" Tony asked quietly.

**Why can't they understand the way we feel**

**They just don't trust**

**What they can't explain**

**I know we're different but, deep inside us**

**We're not that different at all**

Even for such a small child, Tony could tell that something was up. Chad had told him that they had to go out of state and see Taylor, that something was wrong. But Chad wasn't specific; he didn't want his son to worry.

"I don't know." Chad admitted.

Tony looked down at the ground. "She's not gonna be ok is she?" he asked, tears starting to fall down his face.

Chad turned to Tony. "No, no, I didn't say that." he said softly. He picked him up and put him in his lap. "Hey, don't cry kiddo." He rubbed Tony's back and held his chin up. "We just don't know how she is yet. But just because something looks bad doesn't mean it's gonna end bad."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

Chad held in a sigh, trying to seem as calm as possible. "Something happened at Mom's school. There was this guy and he started...hurting people. Mom was just one of the ones that got hurt. But not everyone that was looked at so far died. They're just not done looking at everyone yet." he explained. "But you know something, you are raised by a strong independent woman. She doesn't back down from anything or let something knock her down and keep her down. Your mom is one of the strongest people I know. So even if things look bad now, you can't keep thinking they'll look that way. And trust me, people have thought a lot of things about us before."

"Like what?" Tony asked.

"Did I ever tell you the story of when your mom and I first started dating? I mean yeah, we got along at times and we kind of had to see a lot of each other because our best friends were dating." Chad explained. "But she and I were so different like you had no idea. She was the smartest girl in school and I was another basketball player. She thought things through and I jumped into everything. We grew up in different environments. We took different classes and we had different interests. No one ever thought we would last. But you know what? She and I went out for over a year before college started. And even though we were apart in different colleges for four years she and I have still been together. We never stopped thinking about each other, and we got together as soon as college ended for us."

"That's a good story." Tony said.

"Yeah I do tell pretty good stories." Chad chuckled. "And when Mom gets out of here, she's gonna tell you even better stories."

"Yeah?" he asked hopefully.

"Yeah." Chad playfully tickled his son.

Deep down Chad was still as worried as heck about Taylor. He was still begging in his mind that she was going to be alright and that she'd be in his arms again before he knew it. At least he was giving Tony some hope and that was all he could do. He wasn't acting like it was at the worst. Chad had to make the best of the situation and hope that it would get better.

_Please be ok Tay. Both of you._ he thought.

**And you'll be in my heart**

**Yes, you'll be in my heart**

**From this day on**

**Now and forever more**

Chad looked down to see Tony sound asleep in his lap. He gently ran his fingers through his son's dark brown hair which looked so much like Taylor's. He looked so much like Taylor when he slept. It felt for a moment like noting was even wrong with Taylor, like they were just waiting for her to get out of work and help tuck Tony in before going to bed with Chad.

_Please come out soon Tay._ Chad thought. _You're missing this. He looks so much like you. But I know you're gonna be here soon Tay. You can't leave yet. It's not your time. You've still got a piece of my heart Taylor. Don't let it go yet._

"Danforth?" a nurse asked as she walked into the room.

Chad's head shot up. He gently nudged Tony and placed him back in the chair. "I'll be right back ok kiddo?" he said. "Stay put ok? When I know what's going on I'll get a nurse to bring you over ok?"

"Ok Dad." he nodded while yawning.

Chad rubbed Tony's head once more as he fell back asleep. He got up and walked over to the nurse. "Yes?" he asked her.

"You're here to see Taylor, correct?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am." Chad nodded. "Can you just please tell me that she's alright?"

The nurse's face fell. "I'm sorry Mr. Danforth. I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

Chad's eye widened. That didn't mean she was.... She couldn't be.... He wasn't going to believe it. "Is she still alive?" he forced out, trying to hold back tears if told otherwise. Chad wasn't an emotional man. But he was crazy in love with Taylor and if anything happened to her then that would be the one time he'd let himself cry. If anything even happened to his son Chad would break down.

"She is. And we need to do a few more tests to be sure, but we think the baby is alright as well." the nurse said. "But I'm afraid she won't be able to walk again."

Chad blinked. "What?" he asked.

"She was shot in the back. And the particular area where she was shot affected her legs." the nurse said, trying to explain it in the simplest way possible. But Chad still didn't seem to understand. She sighed, "Have you ever seen the show Desgrassi?"

"Yeah." Chad nodded.

"You know that in the series one of the characters was shot in the back right?" she asked. "You remember the consequences from that?"

So that's what she was doing? Comparing some teen show to his love? "So that means she's in..." his voice trailed off, but he understood.

**Don't listen to them**

**Cause what do they know**

**We need each other, to have, to hold**

**They'll see in time, I know**

"Tay?" Chad asked as he stepped into the room.

Taylor was in the hospital bed. She looked so tired, but her expression softened when she saw Chad. "Hey Chad." she said softly.

"Tay, you're ok." Chad sighed with relief. He ran over to her and hugged her tight.

Taylor winced. "Careful..."

Chad immediately pulled away. "Sorry. You just have no idea how relieved I am that you're alright." He moved some hair out of her face. "Tony was pretty worried about you, too. He's in the waiting room sleeping just waiting for you to come and wake him up."

That made Taylor smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise." she apologized.

"It's not your fault Tay. I'm not mad." Chad shook his head. He took her hand and held it tight in his. "I was just sitting out there worried that I was gonna lose you. And I don't care if you can't walk or move or talk or anything. I care that you're still here, that we're still together."

"Even if I lost half my body you'd still find a way to make me feel better." Taylor said. Her expression fell as she lookd down at her legs, which were laying in front of her under the blankets. She gently rubbed them with her free hand but felt nothing. Like there was nothing but an illusion there.

Chad could see the hurt in Taylor's eyes. He kissed her gently on the cheek. "You didn't lose everything Tay. No matter how much this changes you you're still my girl. You always will be."

Taylor smiled slightly. "Your heart's always in the right place Chad. And I'm really glad that you're here now to try and make it better like you always do. I'm not entirely sure what I'd do without you."

Chad smiled and kissed Taylor on the forehead. She rested her head against his neck and he put his head on top of hers. "You were in my heart this whole time Tay. There's no way I'm ever gonna let you go."

**When destiny calls you**

**You must be strong**

**I may not be with you**

**But you've got to hold on**

**They'll see in time, I know**

**We'll show them together**

A half hour later Chad was back in Taylor's room. Taylor was holding Tony in her arms and Chad was sitting beside her stroking her hair.

"When can we go home?" Tony asked quietly.

"Soon, I promise." Taylor whispered. "And I'll try make it seem like not much has changed. I'll be in a wheelchair but I'll still be there." She held him close to her and turned to Chad. "Just don't feed me that 'you're still the same person on the inside' speech. A person isn't always the same after something like this."

"Ok." Chad nodded. "But even if you do change on the inside you're still Taylor. That's not gonna change. You'll still have me and you'll still have your family."

"I suppose you're right." she nodded. "But are we going to have the whole family?" She wrapped one arm around her son and gently rubbed her stomach with her free hand.

"We're gonna find out." Chad said softly, putting his hand on hers. "It'll be ok."

The nurse from earlier walked into the room. "Danforths?" she asked.

Chad's and Taylor's heads shot up. "Yes?" Chad asked. He could already feel his heart pounding.

The nurse sat down in front of them and sighed. "You should be really grateful that someone's alright. You have no idea how devestating it could have been for the babies."

"So is it alright?" Taylor asked hopefully. She blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Wait did you say babies?"

"As in plural?" Chad asked.

"As in twins." the nurse smiled. "We ran the tests twice and both of them will be just fine." She looked at Tony and nodded, "I think you're going to have a really happy son when he wakes up. We'll let you know when you all can go home."

"Thank you so much." Taylor grinned.

"No problem." the nurse replied before leaving.

Taylor turned to Chad and smiled. Chad looked just as thrielled. "Oh man, twins!" he gasped. He hugged Taylor, keeping his arms near her shoulders. "I wa relieved enough when I knew you were ok."

"Can we really handle twins?" Taylor wondered, resting her head on Chad's chest. "I mean with the increase we'll probably recieve in medical bills and Tony and..."

"We'll be just fine. At least we'll both be around to take care of them." Chad cut her off.

Taylor smiled and nodded. "And at least I'll be able to hold both of them in my arms and I'll be able to feel them."

"And I can still hold you in my arms." Chad smiled. "And I'm always gonna be with you. All of you."

**Cause you'll be in my heart**

**Yes, you'll be in my heart**

**From this day on, **

**Now and forever more**

**Oh, you'll be in my heart**

**No matter what they say**

**You'll be here in my heart, always**

**Always

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**Kinda corny-ish huh? This took all morning to write. I kinda got distracted by parts of the Presidential Inaugeration and then the Cheetah Girls One World...and an episode of the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. xD I own none of those, by the way. So, I should probably try and come up with better ideas for one shots then. Give me some time, I'll work em out.**  
**


	14. Return

So have you ever seen "The Return of Jafar"? Yup, that's the sequel to Aladdin. I dunno, I just found one of the songs from the movie and had an idea for a one shot. And I know some people wanted updates on this, right? Anyway I tricked you guys with the last one didn't I? And you totally hate the cheesy ones of these, don't you? Well I hope this one isn't half as cheesy. Hey what kind of cheese do you think they are anyway? I'm personally not a fan of cheese. I mean, I'll eat cheesesauce or cheese pizza but that's about it. And you want me to shut up again don't you? Ok then, I'll let you get to the reading. Remember, I own nothing.

* * *

"Taylor, look at me when I'm talking to you!" he yelled.

"I'll look at whoever or whatever I want." Taylor replied coolly. "And I'm not looking at you if you're going to use that tone on me."

"Remember who brings in the paycheck here!" he insisted, pointing at her.

"Excuse me?" she questioned.

His hand slammed on the table, "I do all the work and bring in this money for the three of us and you can never sound grateful!"

Taylor huffed as her head spun to her husband. She rose from her seat and glared at him. "You won't let me go out anywhere to work. All you'll let me do is stay in this house and raise Michelangelo. You never let me go anywhere and even when you do, you never let me go alone. You have to go with me or force me to take Michelangelo."

"I'm not gonna stand by and let some guy hit on you while you flirt back." He argued.

"Well if you trusted me enough then you wouldn't be concerned with it would you?" she interrogated.

"Yeah well guess what. As long as that guy is out there what's to stop you two from flirting it up?"

"That guy happens to have a name you know. And all you do is make assumptions without letting me make any decisions for myself when I'm more than capable of doing so."

"I'm not about to lose you to that f****** b***** man!"

"Then you want nothing to do with me!"

"I'm goin for a walk! Don't wait up!"

"Good, I won't! You can sleep on the couch when you walk back in at three a.m. drunken like the dog you are!"

The last thing heard was the door slamming.

**Forget about that guy,**

**Forget about the way you fell into his eyes**

**Forget about his charms,**

**Forget about the way he held you in his arms**

The five-year-old looked up to see Taylor in his bedroom doorway less than an hour later. He was holding an action figure on his bed and looking rather depressed. He looked down at his blankets and turned his head away from her.

"I'm sorry you had to hear all that yelling before, Michelangelo." Taylor apologized softly. She took a single step into his room.

"You say that every time we eat dinner together." He said quietly. "And you and Dad always fight."

"We don't mean to do it in front of you. And it certainly wasn't right for him to start using the language he did around you." Taylor replied. She walked over to his bed and sat down in front of him. He seemed so down and depressed. Taylor couldn't believe that this was how she was raising her son. He was growing up in an environment where his parents did nothing but argue and yell at each other. This wasn't the life Taylor envisioned for them. Either of them.

The only reason she was even married to Randy was because of what happened five years ago. It started with some simple conversations at the party of an old college roommate. Taylor was there with her ex-boyfriend and having a great time. Then Randy came along and joined the two of them. When her ex, who at the time was actually her boyfriend, left to go to the men's room it was just Taylor and Randy. At first everything was fine and they were just talking. But she realized a little too late that something was wrong with him.

It turned out that Randy got drunk that night. He seemed fine at first when he wanted to talk to Taylor alone. In peace and quiet. Then one thing led to another. Before Taylor knew it, she was forced into a bed and everything was ripped off of her. And when she looked up and it was all over she recognized a face in the doorway. Him. Chad.

She tried to get him to stay and hear her out, but he had already run out the door. Taylor could tell how hurt and upset she was, and she was upset as well. But she never even got to tell him that she was raped. It turned out that more happened that night than she wanted to. Taylor found out she was pregnant. Randy found out as well and he seemed to take it ok. He said that he normally wasn't as drunk as he was that night and he wanted to do the noble thing, make things up to Taylor. Taylor was hesitant because she didn't love him. She had to talk to Chad and tell him. But she never did. Randy convinced her somehow that now that she was pregnant with his child, he was the best she could do. No one else would want her. They ended up marrying right away. And it's been the three of them since: Randy, Taylor, and Michelangelo.

**Walking on air's obnoxious**

**The thrills, the chills will make you nauseous**

**And you'll never get enough**

**Just forget about love**

"I don't want you guys to fight all the time. You always do that when I'm with my friends and their parents. They all never fight." Michelangelo whined.

"We don't mean to. Your father and I just happen to have a lot that we don't agree on." Taylor said quietly, moving some hair out of his face. What else was she supposed to tell him? That it was his fault she was with Randy? No, she could never burden her son with that. And even though he was Randy's child, Taylor still didn't want to hurt him. He was just as much her kid.

"Are you gonna kick Dad outta the house?" he asked.

"Of course not." Taylor shook her head. There were so many times where she wanted to kick herself out. To go find Chad and tell him the whole story. But he's probably found someone else by now. He played for the Lakers now, so why would he even think to care about an old girlfriend? But Taylor still thought about him so much. She wanted to hear his voice again. She wanted to run into his arms and stay there. She wanted to cuddle in close with him and feel his curls on her face. She wanted to be Chad's everything again. But she knew by now that it wasn't meant to be.

**Forget about romance,**

**Forget about the way your heart begins to dance**

Three a.m. Glass broke. Yelling filled the household. Slaps were heard. Nothing was right.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll shut up now and go back to bed!" Randy screamed.

"You can't push me around! I'm not going to listen to you anymore!" Taylor argued. "I should have never even trusted you!"

"You little-" His glare deepened at Taylor and he slapped her across the face. She was pushed back and Randy knocked down a glass vase that shattered instantly on impact. Taylor got up and tried to get away but she was grabbed by the wrist and pushed back into the wall. As Randy continued to violently hit her, Michelangelo was curled up in a ball in the nearest corner.

The boy was scared out of his mind. He had gone down to get a drink of water in the middle of the night when Randy came back in. Of course the guy was drunk. He started screaming and yelling and before Michelangelo knew it, his father was hitting him. He couldn't remember him ever doing that. He'd never been so scared in his life. That was when Taylor came down and she saw everything. It started with her yelling at Randy and trying to knock some sense into him but shortly after that she was being hit just as much as Michelangelo was.

Taylor eventually managed to get up and run over to her son. She scooped him up as gently as she could in her arms, but she was shaking just as much as he was.

"Where do you think you're going?" Randy yelled.

"Away from you! I'm not standing by and watching you do this. You're not going to lay a hand on me or Michelangelo ever again." Taylor replied.

"You can't go anywhere without me. You need me. No one else will ever accept you. If it weren't for me you'd be living in the slums with the other sluts watching that boy die on the ground!" he screamed.

Taylor shook her head. Even though she wouldn't speak right away she knew her voice was cracking. "Neither of us needs this. I should have never stayed with you."

"Well good luck finding someone else who will actually want you after all this!" Randy yelled.

Taylor couldn't take any more of this. She ran out of the house as fast as she could. She had to get away. She had to find someplace safe to stay. At least for the time being.

**Then you feel the blush,**

**When he's spouting out some sentimental much**

Taylor had no idea where any of her friends would be. She hadn't talked to them in over five years. She had to go to the only person she knew. She knew that Chad still lived near there, so all she had to do was find his address. If she could just stay there for one night everything would be better. She was just hoping he'd let her. She hoped with all her heart that he wouldn't tune her out just because she had a kid.

_Please don't let him hate me, please don't let him hate me._ She begged in her mind.

It wasn't long before she ended up in the richer portion of the neighborhood. Chad had to live there, she just knew it. Taylor didn't know how, but she could feel it. But by then she was exhausted, not sure how much longer she could tread on. Even as Michelangelo slept in her arms she could feel him shivering. She didn't blame him one bit.

_Where's his house?_ Taylor thought as she looked at the front gates of each one. It took longer than she wanted, but she finally found it. A small mansion covered an enormous amount of the piece of land and large golden gates surrounded it. On the brick wall where the gates were was a doorbell and a speaker. Under it read "Danforth, Chad". Taylor knew that this was the place. It wouldn't be much longer now.

She could feel the sweat dripping from her forehead down to her face. Her knees shook a little and she was out of breath. But all she had to do was push the button and talk for one minute. It didn't take that much energy.

She slowly pushed the speaker button. "Hello?" she asked hoarsely.

"Who's this?" a man's voice came from the other end about a minute or two later.

"Chad?" Taylor whispered, wondering if that was him or her imagination.

"Yeah…" he replied slowly and confused.

If Taylor had enough energy, she'd sigh with relief. "I need help…" she whispered. "Chad…" That was all she got out before she collapsed onto the ground with Michelangelo.

"Taylor? Taylor is that you?" the voice asked. "Taylor!"

**Love really is revolting,**

**It's even worse than when you're molting**

**Enough of this fluff!**

**Just forget about love**

Taylor moaned in her sleep. She could feel herself coming back to. Her eyes slowly opened and at first all she saw were blurs. At first she couldn't even remember what happened or where she ended up. The last thing she remembered was collapsing.

"Taylor?" a voice asked.

"Who's there?" she asked quietly, still waking up.

"It's me, Tay. Chad." He answered softly.

Taylor's eyes slowly opened all the way. Her vision became clearer. There he was, in the flesh. Chad was sitting right by her side looking down at her. "Chad?" she whispered, wondering if it was all a dream.

"It's me Tay." Chad promised. He held her hand tight with his and rubbed it with his thumb. He saw Taylor try to sit up and he tried to get her to lay back down, seeing how tired she was. But Taylor wouldn't listen. She pushed herself up and hugged Chad tightly. She was so relieved to see him. Chad wrapped his arms around Taylor and hugged her back as though he'd never let go. He couldn't remember the last time he did this. His arms fit around her perfectly and he felt complete. Like he could never pull away. This was the safest that Taylor felt in years. She breathed heavily, as though she were begging to be held on to.

"I can't believe it's you." She whispered in disbelief.

"It's me." Chad nodded quietly. "I'm right here, Tay. I'm right here."

**I had almost forgotten the way it felt**

**When he held out his hand for mine**

**My heart all a-flutter**

"What happened Tay?" Chad asked. "You looked pretty beat up. I came out when I realized it was you and you were on the ground."

Taylor bit her tongue. It felt like such a sore spot to her. "I'd rather not talk about it." she whispered.

"Then we won't talk about it." Chad promised. He just kept hugging her and neither prepared to pull away. "But you weren't the only one out there, you know. You were holding someone."

"Yeah…" Taylor nodded slowly. "He's my son."

That's what Chad was afraid of. If it weren't for the bruises and such on her body, Taylor looked like she had a pretty happy life. But Chad couldn't understand why the boy had just as many bruises as she did. Chad was about to ask when a scream interrupted them.

"Mama!"

Taylor's head shot up. She looked at Chad, "What room did you put him in?"

"Up the hallway, two doors down on your left." He answered right away.

Taylor scurried to get out of the bed but she was having problems. Chad assisted her and then Taylor forced herself to run – or at least fast walk – to Michelangelo. She found him in the room just like Chad said he would be. Michelangelo looked so scared. And why wouldn't he be? He had no idea where he was. But he felt so relieved when he saw Taylor in the doorway.

"Mama!"

"It's ok Angel." She promised, calling him by his nickname. "I'm right here." She stumbled towards his bed and as soon as she sat down, Michelangelo jumped into her arms. He continued shaking even as Taylor rubbed his back and tried to calm him down.

"Where are we?" he cried.

"We're safe." Taylor replied softly. "We're with a friend."

And Chad stood right there in the doorway watching the two. And he couldn't help but feel left out. Like he didn't belong.

**Oh, how I shudder!**

**The first time we kissed**

**It won't be missed**

"Eat whatever you guys like." Chad said later that day. He pointed his head to all of the food on the table. "You look starved."

Michelangelo grabbed Taylor's arm and continued shaking. Taylor looked down at him and kissed him on the head. "Don't be scared." She whispered. "It's alright."

But Michelangelo didn't listen. He was still scared to death after last night. He let go of Taylor's arm and ran to the corner on the other side of the room. He curled up in a ball once more and faced the wall, shivering once again.

"Is he alright?" Chad asked, concerned.

Taylor sighed. "Last night wasn't a good night for either of us." She admitted quietly. "He went down to get a drink and his father walked into the house drunk. He started hitting Michelangelo. When I came down and tried to stop it…" She rubbed one of her arms. "Well…that's where the scratches came from."

"I asked the maid to bandage you guys up after we brought you in. You both should be fine." Chad said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Taylor turned her head slightly to Chad, trying to ignore the shiver she felt going through her spine as he touched her. "The maid?"

"Just one." Chad said defensively. "It's not like anyone else lives in here."

So then there wasn't someone else? Taylor couldn't believe it. She was about to ask him when Chad interrupted.

"So does this mean you're gonna go back after your husband cools down?" he asked her, trying to ignore his blood boil.

Taylor shook her head. "I don't even know." She whispered. She kept her voice low so Michelangelo couldn't hear her. "I never even loved him. I only agreed to marry him because he got me pregnant."

"What?" Chad gasped. Taylor shushed him and he lowered his voice. "What happened?"

Taylor sighed and told him the whole story. She finally said what happened that night when he caught the two of them together. She told him what Randy said and everything. "So he told me that no one else would want me if I had a kid. So I just said yes." Taylor finished.

"How could you even think that?" Chad asked shaking his head. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I don't know." Taylor admitted quietly. "I guess after that night, I doubted you wanted to talk to me again."

"I would have if I knew." He whispered. Taylor only nodded, but he gently placed his hand under her chin and turned her face to look at him. "Tay, you don't deserve that. You never did. But you can't go back to him. Not if he's going to hurt you. I'm not even gonna let him touch you. And obviously you're not happy with the guy. So why don't you just end it?"

"And how do you think he'll respond to that?" Taylor asked.

"Don't even think about that." Chad replied. "Just do what you think is right."

"He never even let me out of the house or get a job. I've got nowhere to stay." Taylor whispered.

"Then stay here." Chad replied. "I'll get you some new clothes if you need them. There's plenty of space here for you and Michelangelo. You can stay here as long as you need to. As long as you want to."

And that entire time Chad was looking into her eyes. He never looked anywhere else. Taylor never took her eyes off of him either. She didn't even want it to end. She wanted to keep standing right in front of Chad and staring into his chocolate colored eyes so she could just melt into them.

**Forget about his touch**

**I can't forget about his touch**

**In the scheme of things it doesn't matter much**

About a week had passed. Taylor was relieved that Randy hadn't found her and Michelangelo yet. She felt safer where she was now that she was with Chad. But she knew how uncomfortable Michelangelo was. He had no idea where he was or what was going on. He never even let Chad near him, let alone touch him. Even though he desperately wanted to see his father, Michelangelo was too scared to go near him either.

But Chad kept his word. He got new clothes for Taylor and Michelangelo and let them stay. Of course Michelangelo had begged to stay in the same room as Taylor, which Chad allowed. He couldn't blame the kid. Chad had gotten a lot of questions why he was buying all the things he was, but he never answered them. Luckily for him it wasn't basketball season yet and it would be at least a month before practice started. So he stayed in the house for as long as he could.

Taylor didn't leave the house either. That whole week she was trying to ignore that feeling in her stomach she got when she was around Chad. She knew he said there wasn't anyone else, but she felt so stupid still falling in love with him and he was probably just trying to help as a friend. She was trying to force herself to forget about her feelings, even if she couldn't.

She just stared at the form she had to fill out for a divorce, tapping the pen in her hand against the table. The ring on her finger was already removed and she couldn't even bare to look at it. She just kept thinking how ballistic Randy would go when he got the form. At this point, Taylor had only filled out the basic information about herself. Nothing else.

Chad cautiously stepped behind her, not wanting to scare her. He put his hands on the chair she was sitting at and looked over her shoulder. "Filling out the divorce thing?" he asked her.

Taylor nearly jumped but remembered that she didn't have to worry about anything. Chad was the only guy in the house, not Randy. She didn't have to be afraid of yelling or hitting.

"Yeah." She nodded. "I don't know if I can do it though."

"Of course you can. If it's what you want." Chad replied loyally as he sat down in the chair next to her.

"I know it's what I want, and I know it's best for me and Michelangelo." Taylor said. "But I can't stop thinking about the reaction Randy will have on his face when he sees this. And how's Michelangelo going to take it? Is he even going to understand what's going on?"

"You have to try Tay. I know you can do it." Chad said calmly. "And I'm sure that even if Michelangelo doesn't realize it yet, he'll know when he's older that you're doing everything you can to protect him."

"I don't know." Taylor whispered.

Chad slowly placed his hand over Taylor's. He could tell how unsure about everything she was. He could see the hurt in her eyes. "There's nothing to be afraid of Taylor. Michelangelo's your son and you're doing what's best for him because you love him. You're following your heart. That's all it takes. If it's trying to tell you something then you have to listen to it."

Taylor took a long glance at their hands before slowly turning her head to Chad. "I can't just follow my heart now of all times, Chad." She said softly. "I need to think things through now more than ever. I can't even stay here."

"Yes you can." Chad replied calmly. "You can stay here as long as you need to. Because I like having you here and it feels so good just to be with you again. You'll be safe here, Tay. I'll keep you safe.

"You can't promise that Chad." She whispered shaking her head.

"I'm just following my heart." He whispered back.

"So what's it saying?" Taylor wondered softly.

_Please don't let me make a fool of myself!_ Chad thought desperately. "It's saying this." He leaned in further and kissed Taylor softly on the lips. He was about to pull away, afraid he did something wrong, until he realized that Taylor was kissing him back. He gently wrapped an arm around her waist and she placed her hand on his shoulder. Chad kept his other hand on Taylor's. He couldn't feel more relieved than he did now. He had finally done something right.

Taylor had felt safe the first night when she was in Chad's arms. She felt even safer staying in his home with him. But this was the safest she's ever felt now.

**It matters so much**

**You're better on your own**

**A meal becomes a banquet when you eat alone**

"Mom, are we ever gonna see Dad again?" Michelangelo asked they night as he lay in bed beside Taylor, not wanting to be on his own.

"Honestly?" she replied softly. "I really hope not. I sent in a form to get a divorce from him."

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"It means that if this works your father and I are going to split up." Taylor explained.

"How come?" he asked.

"You know how in those Disney movies, characters fall in love with each other right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well in real life people fall in love just the same. And they also fall out of love."

"So you and Dad don't love each other anymore?"

"Not after what he did to us. I can't let him hit us like that again."

"So then what were you doing with your friend?"

"Huh?"

"You and your friend were kissing. I never saw you and Dad do that."

Oh man, how was she going to explain this one to Michelangelo? "He and I used to go out." She answered honestly. "But we're really close friends now."

"Are you trying to replace Dad?" Michelangelo asked.

"Never." Taylor shook her head. "I just feel more comfortable with Chad right now. And I know you still don't trust him yet, and that's totally understandable. But he's only trying to help us and I just hope you can understand that much."

"But what if he slaps me like Dad did?" he asked quietly.

"If he does then we won't be friends anymore." Taylor answered. "You just let me worry about that, ok? Now why don't you get some sleep."

"Ok." Michelangelo nodded with a yawn. "Night Mama."

Taylor wrapped her arm around her son and kissed him on the head. And just before she closed her eyes and went to sleep she could see Chad standing in the doorway.

**Love's filled with compromises**

**And don't you hate those big surprises**

**A cozy rendezvous,**

**Oh please!**

**Candle-light for two**

**Oh geez!**

**Look you're calling my bluff,**

**I can't forget about love**

**Just forget about love**

"Taylor how could you!" Randy yelled, busting into Chad's home a few days later.

Taylor gasped and turned to him. "Randy what are you doing here?" she replied. "You're…you're not allowed in here."

"I'm allowed in here when I'm losing my woman to some a-hole!" he yelled.

"I'm not your woman. Not anymore." Taylor shook her head.

"He got to you!"

"No, Chad has nothing to do with it."

"This is all his fault!"

"It's not like that…."

"Mom what was that?" Michelangelo asked, walking into the room. He froze when he saw his father. "Dad…"

Randy's glare stiffened. "You! This is all your fault! You had to scream! You had to let her know!"

Michelangelo backed away a single step. He couldn't do anything else. He was frozen with fear.

"Randy don't you dare lay a finger on him!" Taylor gasped.

But it was too late. Randy was already aiming to hit his son. And Michelangelo stiff wouldn't move. He would've smacked Michelangelo if it weren't for Chad stepping in. He pushed Randy away just before he could touch his son.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Randy yelled.

"I think I'm stopping you from hurting a little kid that you're supposed to protect and care about!" Chad retorted.

"Then get away from him! He's my kid!" Randy yelled again.

"Not if you're gonna hurt him. Step away." Chad warned. He stayed in front of Michelangelo and gently picked him up. Michelangelo shivered for a minute, but when Randy tried to strike again Chad turned his back to him so Chad would get hit instead.

"Randy get away from them!" Taylor insisted. She tried pulled him away from them but Randy only pushed her off.

"Tay!" Chad gasped.

Bu Randy had already started hitting her again. Chad sprung to his feet and held Michelangelo close to him, pushing Randy out of the way. He clutched Michelangelo in one arm and wrapped his other arm around Taylor. He could feel both of them shaking. He didn't blame them for being scared right now. He saw Randy get back up and come right for them, but Chad didn't know what to do. All he could do was pull the two closer to him and try to be strong. He could feel Randy right on top of him now until….

"Freeze! Put your hands in the air where we can see them!"

Randy spun to see a couple of officers in the room. He backed away for a minute, then tried to make a run for it. The cops chased after him, not letting him get away.

Chad picked his head up. "What was…?"

The maid appeared from the other room. "I heard the commotion in here." She said quietly. "So I called the police and told them to come right away."

"You really saved out buts. Thanks." Chad smiled. "Can you just grab the first aid kit in case we need it then?"

"Yes sir." She nodded.

"And one more thing," Chad said which made her turn, "take the rest of the week off afterwards. After helping out a lot this past week you really earned it."

"Thank you sir." She nodded before leaving.

Chad looked down at Taylor and Michelangelo. Michelangelo hadn't stopped shivering and he was grabbing onto Chad's shirt. "Way to be strong Mikey." Chad whispered. "I knew he wasn't gonna lay a hand on you." Then he turned his glance to Taylor. She had her arms wrapped around his neck and she was crying lightly onto his chest. Chad gently rubbed her back. "I've got you Tay. You're safe now." He whispered into her ear.

**I can't forget about my heart**

**(I can't forget about my heart)**

**And how it felt to fall for you right from the start**

**(I'm still falling)**

**Whatever we may do**

**(Whatever we may do)**

**You are here for me**

**And I'll be there for you**

**(And I'll be there to)**

**To wish, to want, to wonder**

**To find the sun through rain and thunder**

"Are you guys ok?" Chad asked later, carefully walking into Taylor's room. Both Taylor and Michelangelo were sitting on the bed.

"Yeah. We are now." Taylor nodded softly as she looked at Chad. She then looked at her son. "Angel, do you have anything you'd like to say to Chad?"

Chad raised an eyebrow as he looked at the five year old. Michelangelo nodded as he turned to Chad. "Thanks for trying to stop my dad from hitting me again." He said quietly.

"Don't even worry about it. It's no big deal." Chad shook her head. "I'm just glad you both are ok." He reached out to rub Michelangelo's head, but stopped where he was realizing that he might get scared. But Michelangelo didn't back away. Instead he held out his hands to Chad. Chad blinked, not understanding.

"He wants you to hold him." Taylor explained with a small smile.

"Really?" Chad asked perplexed.

Taylor nodded.

Chad looked back at Michelangelo and picked him up. "It's all good buddy. You're a good kid." He gently rubbed his back.

"You're really good with him Chad." Taylor said softly. "I don't know how to thank you for what you did."

"I was just trying to protect you guys." Chad replied as he sat down. "That guy had no right to do what he did. He never deserved someone like you."

"Then we should probably head out then." Taylor said.

"What?" Chad asked.

"Michelangelo and I will leave in the morning after breakfast. I'll get us a place to live and I'll finally be able to get a job." Taylor explained.

"You don't have to go." Chad said.

"It's not our place to stay here Chad. What you've done for us was sweet and we appreciate it, but we can't stay here. We've been enough trouble." Taylor replied.

"But I don't want you to go." Chad blurt out.

**A cozy rendezvous,**

**Yes please**

**Candle-light for two**

**Oh geez,**

**Enough is enough**

"What?" Taylor asked with a confused look.

Chad gently placed Michelangelo back on the bed. He looked at the two adults confused. "I can't lose you again Tay." Chad said. "I can't just sit back and let you go knowing what might happen again. I'm not gonna let some other guy hurt you."

"I'm a big girl Chad. I can take care of myself and I can certainly take care of my son." Taylor replied.

"I know you can. I know how strong you are." He said. "But if I had stayed and heard you out when you needed me to, you wouldn't have gone through what you did the past five years. And if anything good came out of it, it's that you have a great kid who's probably gonna grow up to be just like you."

Taylor just sat still for a minute. She knew she didn't want to go, but what other choice was there? She couldn't be a burden to Chad anymore. She had to go back out there on her own. "I don't know what to say." She confessed.

Chad looked down at the blankets, then back at Taylor. "Say you'll move in with me." He said quietly.

"What?" she asked.

"You can stay here. You can live here." Chad repeated. "You can go wherever you want and not worry about that guy anymore. You can live here Tay, you and Mikey. You can move in with me." He paused for a minute and shook his head, unable to believe that he was actually spilling his feelings to her after all this time. "And I'm not gonna lose you again. I can't." he added as he lowered his voice with each sentence. "I love you too much."

Taylor just sat there in surprise for a minute. She couldn't believe her ears. Those were the words she wanted to hear from Chad after so long. And now that she heard them she couldn't believe it was real. Shaking her head and snapping out of it for a minute, realizing that Michelangelo was still in the room, she turned to him.

"Angel, could you give us a couple of minutes?" she asked him. "Go and watch TV in the living room. I'll tell you everything later."

Michelangelo nodded and hopped off the bed. He walked out of the room and Taylor turned back to Chad. She was still in shock from what he said.

Chad just looked down at the blankets and shook his head. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I'll just let you get everything together then." He started getting off the bed when Taylor stopped him.

"Chad wait." She said. "Don't go. Don't let me leave." Chad slowly turned back to Taylor with a confused look. She continued, "I know it would be best if I did go, but I can't. I've felt safer with you than I ever did with Randy. I can't just walk out and not take you with me or anything…. I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you." She turned her head away and spoke more softly, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And even after everything that happened…I never stopped loving you."

Chad's eyes widened. He didn't know how to express his happiness. So instead of using his words he used his actions. He ran back over to Taylor and sat in front of her on the bed, then kissed her passionately. He wrapped his arms around her back as he felt Taylor kiss him back with just as much feeling. She cupped his face in her hands and felt his lips on hers, remembering how it made her felt every other time they kissed.

Chad slowly broke the kiss once he needed to catch his breath, as did Taylor. They rested their foreheads against each other and just stared into each others' eyes.

"You think Mikey's gonna be ok with this?" he wondered.

"I'll ask him if he'd be ok with living here." Taylor replied. "And I'll see what he thinks about us dating. Then we'll take it from there."

A smile grew on Chad's face. "Did you just ask me out?"

Taylor giggled slightly. "I guess I did."

"I've love to go out with you." Chad smiled. He leaned in and kissed Taylor once again and the two of them slowly fell onto the bed lying down. Chad rubbed his hand gently against Taylor's cheek and kept the other one on her arm. Taylor wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in deeper, both realizing that they couldn't forget how they felt even after all of this.

And the only thing that could stop their session now was if the five year old walked back into the room.

**We can't forget about love**

_

* * *

_This was a pretty long one, huh? What do you guys prefer, long ones or short ones? And really, I need more ideas for songs here please. Opinions are good. I know lots of you out there grew up with the classic Disney, too. And again, still no opinions I've gotten on which version of "Two Worlds" to use, if I'm gonna use it. I like writing about what people wanna read. By the way, sorry for sencoring out the curse words at the beginning of this one. I don't curse either really, so that's why I don't type it. But maybe I'll abbreviate them sometimes, you know? But HSM is still Disney, Disney shouldn't have bad words in it. It gives kids the wrong message. Ok, so kids aren't the only Disney fans but you know what I mean, right? What, you want me to shut up again? But I was only saying.... Ok, ok, no need to get testy. If you guys want me to shut up, I'll shut up. A girl can take a hint.


	15. Karaoke

Ok this was a new idea I had for a songfic. But right now I am really mad. I had the story all typed up and I copied it, but it wouldn't stinking paste onto here! So now after spending about an hour of the day typing this fanfic I had to spend I don't know how long retyping it and it didn't even turn out exactly the same. How depressing and/or pathetic is that? Dang!  
By the way I don't own HSM, the characters, or the Lion King II.

_

* * *

_

"Come on Taylor you have to get up and go out there, You can't sit around the house moping forever." Gabriella Montez urged her friend.

"Technically I'm lying and moping." Taylor McKessie corrected. She was on the couch in her living room clutching a pillow close to her.

"Whatever, you still can't pout like this all day." Gabriella replied.

"And why not? I've got a good reason to don't I?" she questioned.

Gabriella sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, Taylor did have a point. She wouldn't even be like this if it wasn't for im. Chad Danforth. He and Taylor have been going out since junior year in high school, around the same time as Gabriella and her boyfriend, who also happened to be Chad's best friend, Troy Bolton. Now they were all sophomores in college and those four years of dating was down the drain. Taylor was coming home from Yale for a break and was going to visit Chad, surprising him. But when she walked into his house she could see Chad barely covered, aside from small portions of him with a thin blanket, rolling on the floor of his living room with another woman. Taylor didn't know if it was for his pure pleasure or if he was drunk but she didn't stick around to find out or ask questions. They were done.

"Ok so maybe you do have a good reason, but you don't need to act all sulky about it." Gabriella said.

Granted, Taylor was doing better than she had been for about a week, give or take a few days. At first she was just downright hurt and depressed. But the hurt remained in her eyes and now she was just trying to stay as calm as she could, though it was clear from her voice that she was angry and hurt. Gabriella hated to see her friend like this.

"You know what I do when I'm feeling down? I take a long hot shower and sing." Gabriella offered. "But form the looks of it, you need more than just a hot shower."

"I'm not following." Taylor shook her head.

"What you need to do is share those feelings you have right now. Make other people feel what you're feeling right now. You need to get up on a stage and sing a sappy love song in the exact way you're feeling now that will make people realize that love isn't always like it's mentioned in the songs, that there's more to it than the way two people feel when they sing a song like that together." Gabriella explained.

"I can't go up on stage and sing in front of people, let alone a sappy love song." she replied.

"Come on, you can so." Gabriella said. "We both know you have a perfect voice for it."

"I spend one weekend at your house and one of the days I'm there that I need a shower more than any other day, then you hear me sing in it and haunt me for life." she muttered.

"You were the one singing, not me." Gabriella had to giggle slightly.

"That's not the point Gabs." Taylor said. "How can I sing about something that I don't believe in?"

Gabriella pulled her friend off the couch. "Love works unexpectedly. It always finds a way to people."

~Insert Page Break Here~

Gabriella and Taylor walked into the local karaoke restaurant and took their seats. They could see other guests waiting for their food and such going up to sing and entertaining everyone else. Gabriella had the perfect song for Taylor and was ready to push her up there, but Taylor couldn't do it.

"Gabriella I really don't feel comfortable doing this." Taylor whispered. "Can I please go home?"

"Don't be silly. You're on a mission to make people feel." Gabriella whispered back. "You can do it."

"No I can't. Gabs please." Taylor replied.

But as soon as the singer walked off the stage Gabriella was already pushing Taylor on the stage. She picked the song and everything. The manager was up on stage holding to microphones. Hey the guy owned the restaurant; he had to be involved with karaoke somehow. So he handed Taylor the microphone. "Let's see what you've got lil' lady." he said before walking off the stage, leaving Taylor no choice but to take the mike.

Taylor sighed heavily. She slowly turned to face the audience. She could see them ready to listen to her sing. It made her feel a little better that Gabriella wasn't sitting too far from the front, giving her an encouraging smile and a thumbs up. Taylor sighed and got ready to sing, but thens he saw who was walking into the restaurant with his supposed girlfriend. It was him. Chad. Taylor couldn't sing now. Now with Chad listening, even though it didn't look like he saw her. But as soon as the music started, Taylor knew she had no choice. She sighed to herself and slowly let the lyrics escape her mouth in the exact way she was feeling.

_In a perfect world_

_One we've never known_

_We would never need to face the world alone_

_They can have our world,_

_We'll create our own_

As Chad sat down with his girl, his head shot up. That voice he was hearing. It sounded so familiar. But it couldn't be. The voice sounded so solemn and quiet. The voice he was thinking of was so much more vibrant. There was no way it could be her. Chad turned his head to the stage and his suspicions were confirmed. There was Taylor on stage singing that love song. Chad couldn't believe his eyes - or his ears. She sounded so sad. But he did that to her. He made her feel that way. And it killed him inside. He couldn't bare to see Taylor like that. And even with his date waving her hands and snapping her fingers in front of Chad's face, he couldn't take his eyes off of Talor.

_I may not be brave or strong or smart_

_But somewhere in my secret heart_

_I know love will find a way_

_Anywhere I go_

_I'm home if you are there beside me_

_My dark, turning into day_

Chad slowly rose from his seat and walked towards the stage. He didn't remove his gaze from Taylor even once. He couldn't get over the sound of her voice, how she must be feeling right now. By now he was standing next to the manager. Chad could tell the guy was trying to be strong. Even as he had walked towards the stage he could listen to people hitting their chests and grabbing their hearts. Chad didn't blame them. He wanted so much to know that he was feeling the same way Taylor was right now. He looked at the manager and tapped him on the shoulder. He pointed to the microphone and, seeming to understand, the manager handed it to him. Chad took the mike and turned to face Taylor, now watching her from the side.

_Somehow we'll come through_

_Now that I've found you_

_Love will find a way_

Chad took a deep breath as he saw her pause at the end of the chorus. He was going to take over now, in the same tone that she was and let her know how he felt. He was just hoping that he wouldn't make a fool of himself or mess up. That Taylor wouldn't hate him even more.

_I was so afraid_

_Now I realize_

_Love is never wrong_

_And so it never dies_

Taylor turned her head slowly to where the voice was coming from. Right there at the foot of the stage on the side was Chad. And he was the one singing. What was he doing? Taylor just stood there in shock, unable to believe it. What made him think he could just take over the song? What was he planning? All of these questions ran through Taylor's head as she was still caught off guard by his presence.

_There's a perfect world_

_Shining in your eyes_

Chad slowly stepped onto the stage and looked at Taylor. Her eyes were still on him, in shock. She had so many looks on her face right now. Mainly hurt and confusion. Two seconds had passed and she missed the mark when she was supposed to take over. She quickly caught on and sang the next line, though she could nearly feel her voice cracking.

_And if only they could feel it too_

Chad sensed what was going on and took over the next line. He sang it for her, in the same tone that she was as he stepped towards her slowly.

_The happiness I feel with you_

Chad stopped in front of Taylor and they began singing the song together, their voices matching harmony for harmony and tone for tone. They were feeling the exact same way right now. Theyir eyes locked and they coudn't move their gaze anywhere else. Chad slowly picked up his hand and gently ran it down Taylor's arm. She responded by placing her hand on his shoulder and letting it fall slowly, nearly gripping onto his shirt. Taylor tried to ignore the chill she felt when he touched her, the chill that was sent down her spine. But she knew she couldn't. All she could do was lock eyes with Chad and sing with him.

_They'd know love will find a way_

_Anywhere we go_

_we're home if we are there together_

Chad was standing right there singing his heart out to Taylor. Their faces were only inches apart now and they both looked like they were getting more into the song. Taylor was now singing to Chad just as he was to her. He placed his hand on her cheek and she rested her hand on his shoulder.

_My dark, turning into day_

_Somehow we'll come through_

_Now that I've found you_

_Love will find a way_

Chad moved his head down a little more so he could rest his forehead up against Taylor's. He started gently rubbing her cheek and looked into her eyes, unable to avert his gaze anywhere else. He could feel her breath on him and his attention was on her and only her. By now he had forgotten that he had come here with someone else. His mind was on Taylor and no one or nothing else.

_I know love will find a way_

They finished the song and the audience clapped and cheered. Gabriella could nod and smile as she watched the two on stage. She knew exactly what to do. She'd leave them up there for a minute or two, and then go up and interfere. It worked when they did it to her and Troy, so it'd work now.

Taylor lowered her microphone to her side. "You found your way back to me." she whispered to Chad.

"I guess I couldn't stay off your path for long." Chad whispered back. "I was pretty stupid.

"Yeah. You were." Taylor agreed, looking down and then locking eyes with Chad again.

Chad chuckled, knowing that he deserved that. "Maybe I should be the one up here singing the corny love song then. That'll teach me." he joked.

"Yeah. It would." Taylor agreed, holding in a faint giggle.

Chad moved his head in closer to Taylor's, their faces even closer now. Taylor closed her eyes, knowing exactly where this was going.

"Hey Chad."

The two quickly pulled their heads away from each other, though Chad's hand remained on Taylor and Taylor's on Chad's shoulder. They turned to see Gabriella in front of them, her arms on the stage floor as she leaned up against it. She had a smile on her face.

"Why don't you join us for dinner?" Gabriella suggested.

Chad smiled and turned back to Taylor. "I'd be honored." he said. He rested his head up against Taylor's once more, which made her smile. "Can we do this for dessert?"

**

* * *

**Yeah, this didn't turn out the way I hoped. All because it got stupid deleted, gah! And here I was earlier with the True Jackson VP theme stuck in my head. Yeah, no idea how that happened. But I hope this one turned out decently, despite the fact that it's all retyped. I don't even know, I was searching for Disney lyrics and I started playing clips from each one I found that I knew in my head and when I found this aprticular song the idea just hit me. Not sure what the next one's gonna be, but as soon as I get an idea I'll update! Now who else needs to update their stuff, too? Cause I'd love to read me some more HSM stuff! xD**  
**


	16. Clubs and Thoughts

So I reread the first songfic I typed up. And after reading that I realized that I needed another songfic in here, you know? And I'm running out of songs so it's hard to find ones to use. I decided to use the Cheetah Girls' version of "If I Never Knew You". This fic took longer to write than I wanted because I had to come up with the idea, then briefly watch TV, then got a phone call from a friend, then had to eat dinner. So yeah. Anyway, here it is and I hope it doesn't disappoint. Once again I do not own the Cheetah Girls, the song, or HSM.

_

* * *

_

**If I never knew you**

**If I never felt this love**

**I would have no inkling of**

**How precious life can be**

_A year ago Taylor McKessie would have put almost all of her time into her studies. There would have only been thoughts of school, clubs, and the essentials in her mind. No time for boys, dating, or anything else she felt was irrelevant. Her style would have remained classy and sophisticated. All she would be known as was some nerdy girl who strove to eventually run the country. She would nothing at her side other then books, science, politics, and so on._

_But now look at her. She was happier than she'd ever been. Her style had a few more splashes of color to it than it used to. She always tried to look better and didn't just worry about looking decent before leaving the house; now she always tried to look a little more than decent at least. She wasn't only focused on schoolwork and college. She has seen a different side to the world from someone else's point of view. She learned that there was more to life than meets the eye. She had someone by her side. She would actually watch sports and reveal a sense of humor, reveal things that no one knew about her before. And instead of studying Saturday nights or just staying in there were usually plans with someone to be made.  
_

_None of that would have happened if she never knew Chad Danforth._

**And if I never held you**

**I would never have a clue**

**How at last I find in you**

**The missing part of me**

_A year ago Chad Danforth only thought about sports and girls. His life was basketball and he strove only for the best girls. He was a jock. A cocky one, at that. All of his time and energy was focused on the game. Every few months or less he would have a new girl at his side but they would never last. They would never change his world. Every time he looked at them he would see the same he did in all the others: nothing special. They were just cute cheerleaders. He wanted more than that. He played basketball and ran track and field. He barely passed school. He was one of the top pranksters at his high school. He never seemed to have a care in the world or think about other peoples' feelings._

_But that was all different now. He couldn't even describe how happy he was half the time. His pranks were reduced to mere joking around and he never jumped from girl to girl on a monthly basis. He wasn't just focused on his sports or getting the attention of other people. He loved his jock status and he loved the games that he played. He gave a hundred and ten percent into everything he did and now he strove for so much more. He realized that there was more to life than sports and girls. He started paying more attention in school. He saw someone else's point of view and realized how helpful it could be to everyone. Instead of practicing alone or with his teammates for a game after school every day or going to random parties on Saturday nights to hook up with girls he had some place better to go. He couldn't imagine being with anyone better. He was more respectful and night as high and mighty as he used to be. He was a changed man._

_That would have never happened if he never knew Taylor McKessie._

**In this world so full of fear**

**Full of rage and lies**

**I can see the truth so clear**

**In your eyes**

**So dry your eyes**

_He was everything to her. Even if it was just watching him dance in the middle of the room she couldn't take her eyes off of him. That dark bush of curly hair, that chocolate colored skin, those muscles, those deep brown eyes, that wonderful smile.... How could she have never noticed those things about him before? It was amazing what one plan, one date, and one dance could do for the two. She toko a chance with him and couldn't be happier. She knew there was more to him than anyone knew; she could see things in him no one else could. Sure, she still focused on school and whatnot, but there had to be those few times where her mind roamed to him._

Taylor snapped out of her thoughts as she saw Chad smile and wave at her. She smiled back and gave a small wave of one hand as she held a glass of water in the other. It was a Saturday night and they were at a club, but Taylor would have never gone there if Chad hadn't convinced her. She was having a great time. He was so energetic and full of life; he really lightened up the mood.

"Hey babe. What do you say you drop that glass and come to the private room with me?"

Taylor raised an eyebrow as she turned to see a slightly older man behind her. It certainly wasn't Chad, that was for sure. His voice was much deeper and he reeked of alcohol. Taylor made a face and took a step back. "I don't think so. I'm here with someone. Who I should probably be getting back to right now." she started walking away until the guy grabbed her arm and spun her around to him.

"I said you're coming with me." he insisted.

Now Taylor wasn't weak; she was a strong independent woman. But there were times where she needed help. And this was one of those times where she needed Chad's. She frantically looked out to the crowd for him and he was nowhere to be found. He wouldn't ditch her...would he? It was his idea to come to the club and now that she needed him he was gone. Her eyes felt heavy just thinking about it.

Maybe it really was better if she never knew him.

**And I'm so grateful to you**

**I'd have lived my whole life through**

**Lost forever**

**If I never knew you**

_She meant so much to him. Every time his eyes fell on her the world stopped spinning and it was the best feeling in the world. He could see so much about her that no one else could. He knew she was special. And it wasn't just for her looks either. Yes she was gorgeous in his opinion, with her long wavy black hair, her caramel colored skin, her beautiful big brown eyes, her stunning pearly white smile, her figure.... Her looks drew him in at first but he knew there was more to her than that. He could see it every time he looked into her eyes. They were so different yet he took a chance and asked her out, feeling something that he never did with one of those cheerleaders. He had never felt better. And every time there was a big game all he had to do was think about her or look for her face in the crowd and he knew he wuold play a great game._

Chad smiled as he danced the night away at the club. He was in the middle of the dance floor pulling out move after move. He didn't have any drinks believe it or not. He didn't need them tonight; he was having fun without them. Chad cheered and did a spin followed by a split. As he jumped back up to his feet he could see Taylor through the crowd. She had a glass of water in one hand and was watching him bust those moves. Chad smiled and waved at her and his heart soared when he saw she returned the smile and waved back. He knew she must have not been comfortable there alone even though she acted so cool about it. But he still wanted to be there.

Moving off the dance floor, Chad tried to push his way through the crowd and get to Taylor. To say the least it was a madhouse. Person after person pushing him out of the way to make their way to the dance floor or other people. But Chad had to get through. He wanted to see his girlfriend. He wanted to be with her. To dance with her. Talk with her. Everything with her.

Chad was in the clear for a moment, though there was still quite a few mobs to go through. Through the holes in the crowd he could swear he saw Taylor talking to some other guy. A much older, taller guy. Chad squinted, trying to get a better view. She looked uncomfortable and it looked like he was trying to take her somewhere. Oh man, that wasn't what he planned. Taylor needed Chad and he couldn't get to her as soon as he wanted. His heart raed as he tried getting through quicker. He knew she didn't want to come but he convinced her to anyway. Now some drunk guy was taking her who knows where.

That wouldn't have happened if Chad never knew her.

**If I never knew you**

**I'd be safe but half as real**

**Never knowing I could feel**

**A love so strong and true**

_He was gentle with her. He never forced her to do something she didn't want to do. They were reasonable with each other. They compromised. When he kissed her he was never tough. When he touched her it was never inappropriate. Maybe sometimes joking, but never in one of those places. He never pushed her into any walls unless he was teasing her about getting away; and then he would let her move after they kissed. She loved that feeling. She loved how they could joke and tease each other and how she always felt so safe with him, always feeling like he'd never hurt her._

But this guy was showing no mercy. Taylor fell into a dark quiet room and the guy followed her in, closing the door behind him. She sat up on the floor, ready to push herself up. But her eyes widened when she saw he was locking the door. He turned to her with an evil grin.

"Get away from me." Taylor warned, standing up.

"But you have yet to even touch me yet." the man replied.

"I wouldn't want to." she shook her head. "You stink. You're forceful. You're just...just...." She tried searching for the right words to say.

"Just trying to have some fun with my night." he smirked.

Taylor tried backing away again but he grabbed her arm for the second time. He practically threw her onto what looked like a bed, though with how dark it was in the room it could also have been a couch with a lot of space. Taylor tried to escape again but he held her down.

"I haven't even started with you yet." he grinned. "You've got something I want."

"Get it from someone else." Taylor replied. "You need to take a hint."

The man only chuckled as he got ready to move his hand up her shirt, a place that Chad had never even put his hands near yet. Taylor flinched at his touch. It was so cold and raw. She knew where this was going and she wanted to get out.

And she wouldn't even be ready to lose it this way if she never knew him.

**I'm so grateful to you**

**I'd have lived my whole life through**

**Lost forever**

**If I never knew you**

_She felt so warm to him. Every time he needed something to highlight his day she would just let him wrap his arm around her. With her figure his whole arm could fit around her waist. It gave him a reason to pull her close and hug her tight. The feel of her whole body just made him feel relaxed. He always kept it simple with her, knowing where his limits were with her. But every place that he could touch felt perfect to him. Her skin was so smooth and warm. And when it was cold from the weather all he had to do was wrap his arms around her and she'd instantly be warm again. Her hair was so soft. It gave off such a relaxing feel. He loved resting his head on that head of hair or running his fingers through it. And those lips were even softer. He could taste that special lip gloss she always had on even before touching those lips. They were so full, like the perfect fit to his. He drifted into his own little world even at the slightest touch of her._

But he couldn't feel her now. He lost sight of Taylor. Chad kept frantically looking around the club, begging to find that black beauty. She didn't just need him, he needed her. He needed to hold her. He needed to make her feel safe. He needed to take her away from the place. He needded to do anything with her.

By now Chad had already covered half of the club and she was yet to be found. He had to resort to calling her name.

"Taylor! Taylor!" he yelled over the loud music playing in the background. "Tay where are you?"

Chad couldn't believe he was losing her so easily. He didn't know what he'd do without her. No other girl could replace her. Chad had to get her out of here, he had to find her.

She wouldn't even be in this mess if he never knew her.

**I thought our love would be so beautiful**

**Somehow we'd make the whole world bright**

**I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong**

**All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night**

**But still my heart was saying we were right**

_He knew how to brighten up any situation. Every time she was feeling down he'd be there to pick her up. He had this bright aura around him, that always kept him smiling. He was always in such a good mood and he cheered everyone up when they needed it. All they had to do was look on the bright side. That's what he did every time. Even the smallest joke could cheer her up when she was feeling down if it came from him. It was his way of showing that he cared._

But where was that bright side now? Chad still hadn't come to her rescue and her shirt was already pulled off and flung to the side. She didn't want some drunk guy on top of her pulling her down. She wanted Chad to be the one on top of her. She wanted him to be touching the places this guy was touching. Taylor would trust Chad around there more than anyone else. She knew he was gentle and she knew he cared. But he wasn't there right now. Maybe he didn't care.

All Taylor could do was flinch and let a few tears fall freely as this man started kissing her neck. Every time he tried to make it to her mouth she was tilt her head so he couldn't touch there. He had no right to. Those lips were for her family and Chad only. But at the rate this was going he'd be sucking face from her in no time.

Taylor's eyes widened when she thought she heard her name. It was faint in between the faint music she could hear but she could have sworn she heard her name. There could only be one person looking for her. It was in that instant, even as her skit was being pulled slowly that she knew he was coming. She would be safe in his arms again.

She would never knew what that kind of safe felt like if she never knew Chad.

**Oh if I never knew you**

**If I never knew you**

**I would have no inkling of**

**How precious life can be**

**I've lived at last**

_She kept him grounded. She made him realize what else there was to life. Without her all he'd focus on was sports. She made him push on to excel in everything he did. She was the one who encouraged him that even against all odds he could do something he never thought he could. Even if it was only with something as simple as an exam she was still right there helping him. He came before her own studies. He knew she would ace anything she did. And every time she helped him even do a point better who would thank her dearly for what she did. He never ignored her when she helped him because he knew if the situation were reversed somehow she wouldn't ignore him. He let her know how much she meant to him and how grateful he was just to have her._

Chad needed her now. He had to have her. No other man needed Taylor more than he did. By now almost every inch of the club was covered and she was still nowhere to be found. Chad knew they couldn't have left; the doors were mobbed with people so it was so hard to get out. Wait a minute...another door. There were only other two other rooms. A room in the back and the restrooms. Chad wouldn't think to go in the girl's bathroom and he knew she wouldn't be in the men's room.

Chad raced to the back of the club and he found the door. He pounded on it as hard as he could, trying to unlock it. It was stuck good. Whatever was going on in there, it couldn't be good. Chad couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't take the suspense. He couldn't take the fear. He took a few steps back, then ran ahead and began tackling the door. It didn't do much, but he wasn't going to give up until he broke through. He could hear grunting on the other side, as well as a few moans. Chad knew who those moans were.

"Hang in there Tay! I'm coming in." he called. He started tackling the door again. Chad could hear movement on the other side but he wasn't sure from who. He'd been so busy trying to knock down the door that he didn't even know what was next. Somehow he ended up on top of the man, giving payback for what he had done to Taylor. There was rolling on the ground, some punching or kicking, and Chad thrown into the wall a couple of times courtesy of the man's strength. But Chad wasn't going to give up. Not when he had something so important to fight for.

He never would have had such an ambition if he never knew her.

**I thought our love would be so beautiful**

**Somehow we'd make the whole world bright**

**I thought our love would be so beautiful**

**We'd turn the darkness into light**

**And still my heart is saying we were right**

**We were right**

The man was finally unconcious. Chad was breathing heavily. Taylor was out cold. The ordeal was said and done with.

Chad took a minute to catch his breath, not even, before he went over to Taylor. She looked so hurt. Her shirt was off and her skirt was down to her knees. Chad gently got on top of her and began stroking her cheek. He was careful of where he was so he wouldn't hurt her more. That guy had done enough of that. His face was only a few inches from hers and he was sure she could feel his breath on her. Even from her breathing Chad could tell how nervous she was.

"Sh, it's ok." he whispered, still stroking her cheek. "You're safe now. I'm right here."

Taylor could hear his soft words. She began stirring in her sleep until her eyes fluttered. They slowly opened and the first thing she could see was Chad. He was looking down right at her, paying no attention to her half covered body. His touch felt so warm on her face and his eyes were filled with love and concern.

"Chad..." she whispered back. She could feel her eyes watering again and she couldn't bring herself to say anything else. She felt so relieved to have him on top of her, not that man.

Chad smiled with relief as she awoke. He slowly sat up and gently pulled her onto his lap. "I've got you." he promised. He wrapped his arms right around her. He could feel her breathing into his chest and her head right under his. Chad rubbed his cheek against her hair which was now slightly out of place. He tightened his grip around her and started stroking her back.

Taylor grabbed onto Chad's shirt, her face half burried into his chest. She sighed with relief with his arms around her. They were so strong and protective, like nothing could get to her now. All they both needed was to be in each others arms. They felt safe and at home.

That would never happen if they never knew each other.

**And if I never knew you**

**If I never knew you**

**I'd have lived my whole life through**

**Empty as the sky**

**Never knowing why**

**Lost forever**

**If I never knew you**

Chad gently placed Taylor in her bed as soon as they arrived at the McKessie household. Taylor had her arms wrapped around Chad's neck the entire time. Chad had held onto her hand nearly the entire car ride. He wouldn't ever think to leave her side. Chad felt strong when he held her in his arms. He felt like he was holding everything close to him. Like he was holding the whole world. Taylor felt protected when Chad held her. She felt like not even the worst possible thing could touch her. She felt like she was being clensed being held by Chad. She wished that he would never let her go, that he could hold onto her forever.

As she was placed on her bed her arms remained around Chad's neck and Chad's arms around her waist. Their faces were once again nearly inches apart from each other. They could feel their breath on each other and their eyes remained locked.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Chad whispered.

"I am now, thanks to you." she whispered back. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Likewise." Chad nodded. "I'll stay with you as long as you want."

"Can you stay all night?" Taylor asked hopfully.

Chad smiled and slowly climbed into her bed, laying gently on top of her. "As long as you like." he repeated, kissing her forehead.

"You missed." she replied with a smile.

"Let me try that again." Chad said. He kissed her cheek.

"Still missed."

He kissed her nose.

"Almost." she teased.

He kissed her on the lips.

"So much better." she sighed with content. She wanted that feeling of the guy on her away. She wanted to forget tonight ever happened.

Chad smiled and leaned in again. They kissed each other gently. Taylor deepened the kiss and Chad greatly accepted. They pulled away after a few minutes and they looked into each others' eyes.

"Chad, can you help me forget what happened tonight? Make it all go away?" Taylor finally asked softly.

Somehow Chad knew exactly what she wanted. "Are you sure Tay?" he replied.

She nodded. "Please?"

"Anything for you." he agreed. He gently kissed her neck, exactly where the man had before. Taylor smiled and sighed contently, already feeling it all melt away. She felt better already. Her arms were around Chad's back and he was still holding onto her. Their attire was slowly removed and Chad was as gentle as he always was. If he got to a sensitive area, Taylor would move his hand out of the way though she herself would refuse to move. Chad pulled the blankets over the two of them so they were completely covered. But they didn't need a blanket to feel safe. They had each other. They felt happy. Safe. Relaxed. At home. Neither Chad or Taylor would have ever felt that if they never knew each other.

And if they never knew each other they never would have known what real love felt like.

**If i never knew you, oh**

**If I never knew you  
**

**

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**So this was the latest songfic. What did you think of it? These are gonna end pretty soon and I'll need to think of new ideas. But like I said, I like writing about what people want to read, even if it's at like a PG-13 level, you know? That's why opnions are good. So this is what, the fourteenth chapter or something? Yeah, I honestly lost count after ten, that's how bad I've gotten with Math. And I don't think there's much else to say down here or else you'd be bored to death. So I'll leave it at this and hopefully update again before the month is over.**  
**


	17. Books

Be prepared, cause this is gonna be a semi long author's note. XD First off, for those of you who care my first day back was crazy. My economics class had less people than I figured would be in there, especially since it's a GenEd class, and then I had a three hour break before my only other class for the day. I ended up watching talk shows in the commuter's lounge and playing solitare on my laptop. You don't even wanna know how many games i played before i won one. Ok, I briefly played my Pokémon game, too. -_- And I was getting along with one of the girls in my writing class today while we were waiting, since we were the first two there. I don't even know how to describe the teacher, though; I'd say weird, but hey we're all weird right? And then when I went to buy the books for those two classes I ran into a friend from my writing class last semester. ^^ Ok, the boring part's done with. Second off, I'm normally one to reply to reviews. Hey I know half the time I'm probably talking to an inanimate object, aka myself or my computer, but that doesn't mean you guys should. So I'm making an effort to send friendly replies to reviews more often. C= And now, we'll move onto this chapter. Caligymnast2006 sent in a request for songs if they were needed, which they were. She suggested a song from Beauty and the Beast. I'm pretty sure I did one before, but if I could do two songs from the Little Mermaid, I can do two songs from Beauty and the Beast too. So I changed this songfic sup a bit so it differntiated from the other's, you know? There's also speaking roles in the song so I'm going to try and make those roles a part of the story, only changing them a bit from how they are in the song, you know? So now that I'm rambling, anything else I need to add I'll put at the bottom author's note. And as usual, I own nothing mentioned in the story. Since there's French in the song if you wanna pretend everyone lives in France, go ahead.

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Though it was so early in the morning and hardly anyone was out around town at the time, she was already on her way out of the house and roaming through the streets. Her eyes were burried in a book as usual and a part of her mind was carried off into another world. It was the world where she could see everything she was reading, like she was a part of the story. And really, it could be any kind of book. A novel, a textbook, etc. She'd read them all. At times she loved walking out around town so early just to read and hear the peace and quiet. But it was always the same thing over and over again. Nothing exciting ever happened except for inside the pages of her stories.

**_Little town_**

**_It's a quiet village_**

**_Ev'ry day_**

**_Like the one before_**

**_Little town_**

**_Full of little people_**

**_Waking up to say_**

Suddenly the streets were bustling with many people walking all over. People were coming out to get breakfast or get started on their jobs. People were on their way to work or seeing their kids off to school. And although it seemed like such a small neighborhood, looks can be decieving. There were more people than houses in this town and it was hard to believe that the population wasn't overcrowded or anything.

_Bonjour!_

_Bonjour!_

_Bonjour! Bonjour! Bonjour!_

She picked her head up, only to smile to see the town becoming so busy. People began going about their business with smiles on their faces and happy to start off their day. Doors swung open, engines were started, kids were running, and people were greeting one another.

_**There goes the baker with his tray, like always**_

_**The same old bread and rolls to sell**_

_**Ev'ry morning just the same**_

_**Since the morning that we came**_

_**To this poor provincial town**_

She smiled as she walked up to the baker as he entered his shop and began setting up for the day. He had goods to sell, same as any other day. He also happened to be a neighbor of her's and from what she knew about him he was a decent guy. His shop was pretty popular around town and no one made bread better than him.

"Good morning sir." she greeted as she stepped in for the moment.

"Ah Taylor, good morning." the baker replied with a smile. "How's your morning?"

"It's going great." she smiled. "I'm finishing up this story I've been reading all week. I'm on the last chapter and less than ten pages away from reaching the end..."

"That's good, that's good." he nodded. He poked his head into the back door and called out to his assistant, "Hey Earl! We need some fresh bags out here. People can't carry bread on their hands alone!"

She giggled and shook her head before walking out and continuing her reading down the street.

_**Look there she goes that girl is strange, no question**_

_**Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?**_

_**Never part of any crowd**_

_**'Cause her head's up in some cloud**_

_**No denying she's a funny girl that Belle**_

Well, her name wasn't really Belle. It was her middle name, to be more exact. But everyone knew Taylor so much more as Belle. Even people she knew for years would make a habit of calling her that instead. When she was much younger, there was a boy in her class with the name Taylor, and no matter what anyone said the two children kept getting confused every time someone said their name, which either way was Taylor. Numerous nicknames were tried like Tay, TT, and so on. But the confusion kept on going. So instead they were both called by their middle names to avoid more confusion. And it worked, only to have msot of the town know Taylor as Belle. She would answer to either name, don't get her wrong, but Belle sounded like her new name, like someone renamed her. But even though her family and friends knew her as Taylor the brainy girl everyone would go to for advice, the majority of the town knew her more as Belle the girl with her face in a book twenty-four seven.

_Bonjour_

_Good day  
_

_How is your fam'ly?_

_Bonjour_

_Good day_

_How is your wife?_

_I need six eggs_

_That's too expensive_

Once again it was the same thing every morning. A few people would make small talk before continuing about their business. And for such a small town it was surprising that not everyone knew each other. At most, everyone was probably some kind of acquaintance. they all knew certain people in the town, but as a whole that's how they were.

People would complain. They'd be in a hurry to get to work and be afraid they'd be late or something would happen on the way. People would have to go out and buy food and whine that so much of it was so expensive. They'd complain about how annoying their family would be or the mess their dog left on the rug the other night.

_**There must be more than this provincial life**_

Taylor smiled as she walked into the bookshop. She spotted Chad behind the counter, who happened to be around her age. He was friendly and cute, but she didn't understand why he spent his time working there. He was so much more into sports than books. But he never seemed to complain about it; and she never understood why.

"Good morning Chad." Taylor greeted.

Chad smiled as he faced Taylor. "Hey Tay." he replied.

That made Taylor more content. Not only was he one of the few people that not only called her by her first name, but also added spice to it by giving her a nickname. "I just finished this book this morning." she said, handing it to him.

The smile on Chad's face spread when his hand brushed against Taylor's as he took the book from her. He was lost in her eyes for a minute, then quickly pulled away and placed the book on the nearby shelf. "So what did you think of it?"

"It was amazing. I had to force myself to put it down whenever I had to do something else." Taylor exclaimed. "Do you have any new books?"

"No, not recently." Chad shook his head.

"I'll go look for another one then." Taylor smiled. She headed down one of the isles to search through the shelves.

Chad could only smile as he watched her move. She was so graceful and happy. He really was amazed by that girl. He didn't know why everyone else thought so differently about her. Chad liked her even before she had gotten her nickname Belle. It didn't make her any different from anyone else. In his eyes, she looked just as amazing.

"Hey, do you mind if I borrowed this one?" Taylor asked, coming back over to Chad with the book in her hand.

Chad glanced at the book and read the cover. "Didn't you read this twice this month already, Tay?" he wondered.

"But it's my favorite book in the whole store." Taylor sighed. "It has everything a girl could ever want in a story. Action, comedy, horror, romance..."

Chad smiled. "Well if you love the book so much how about you take it home? Yours to keep."

Taylor's eyes widened. "You can't be serious!" she gasped. And seriously, Chad was never a serious person.

"It's all yours." Chad replied.

Taylor smiled widely and pulled him in for a hug. "Chad I love you!" she exclaimed. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to keep this."

Chad almost felt himself melt into Taylor's arms. His arms could fit around her whole body. Man how he didn't want to let go. "Well I..." he stuttered.

Taylor pulled away and headed to the door, already flipping through the pages. "I'll see you later ok?" she smiled at him before leaving.

"Yeah." Chad smiled, feeling weak in the knees. He had practically tuned everything out after 'Chad I love you'.

_**look there she goes that girl is so peculiar**_

_**I wonder if she's feeling well**_

_**With a dreamy far-off look**_

_**And her nose stuck in a book**_

_**What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle**_

Not even done with the first page and already Taylor was lost in the story. She could see everything in her mind so perfectly. There she was placed as the main character in the story and there was the Prince right there in chapter one. She could see in her mind so clearly who he would be, despite the fact that he looked so similar to Chad. And as much as Taylor wouldn't think about it, or even deny it if she realized it, that was how she thought of Chad all the time.

_**Oh, isn't this amazing?**_

_**It's my fav'rite part because you'll see**_

_**Here's where she meets Prince Charming**_

_**But she won't discover that it's him till chapter three**_

Now Taylor couldn't wait to continue reading the book. She had to make it to chapter three and find out what would happen. She could feel the excitement building up in her, as it was the only time she'd feel that kind of feeling. The drama, the suspense.... It was almost alarming. And she was the kind of girl who couldn't take it for too long. Her brown eyes were lost in the pages, constantly moving from paragraph to paragraph. And she was too wrapped in it to see the eyes of other villagers just staring at her, wondering what could possibly be wrong with the girl.

_**Now it's no wonder her name means "beauty"**_

_**Her looks have got no parallel**_

_**But behind that fair facade**_

_**I'm afraid she's rather odd**_

_**Very diff'rent from the rest of us**_

_**She's nothing like the rest of us**_

_**Yes diff'rent from the rest of us is Belle**_

And although Chad's eyes were on Taylor the whole time, there were another set of eyes on her as well, filled with a different type of endearment than in Chad's. It was actually one of Chad's rivals on the basketball team he played for, call it team conflic if you will. It was none other than Mike, known to some by his last name Gaston, who was even cockier than Chad could be. And he had his eyes on Taylor for just as long. Beside him was some kind of assistant. Hey since his family was one of the richest in town why not have an assistant for their son?

"Man your game's really off the chain this morning Mike." the assistant said. "I don't think any opponent has a chance against you. I bet a girl couldn't hold her ground against you either."

"Yeah, you got that right." Mike smirked. He pointed to Taylor. "And that one has caught my eye for a long time."

"Wait really, that girl?" the assistant asked, following the gaze. "Isn't she the weird one?"

"I'm telling you, she's the one for me." Mike grinned. He tossed his basketball up and then spun it on his fingertip. "And believe me, when I'm done with her she won't say no to my hand in marriage."

"Maybe you're not listening. She's-"

"The one who's looks are above any other girl's in town."

"Ok maybe, but-"

"Then what's the problem? She's got everything I'm looking for. All I have to do is make her mine. And I deserve the best, remember?"

"I know, but-"

_**Right from the moment when I met her, saw her**_

_**I said she's gorgeous and I fell**_

_**Here in town there's only she**_

_**Who is beautiful as me**_

_**So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle**_

Mike began making his way over to Taylor, trying to pass through the crowd and get to her. But Chad could see what he was planning. He couldn't let him get to Taylor, no way. She deserved way better than him. Even if Chad wasn't good enough for her, Chad was sure he was better than Mike was. And all he had to do was keep them away from each other. Mike was bad news, after all. And Chad knew what it was like to have girls after him; it was just like that before Mike came along and upstaged him. But even then Chad knew that just because a guy could be so popular with a handful of girls it didn't mean he could get the one he wanted. And while he was sure that - or at least hoping - Taylor didn't want Mike, he still wanted to keep the two away.

Chad began pushing his way through the crowd to try and get to Taylor first. Even as he moved he could overhear some girls talking about Mike.

_**Look there he goes**_

_**Isn't he dreamy?**_

_**Monsieur Gaston**_

_**Oh he's so cute**_

_**Be still my heart**_

_**I'm hardly breathing**_

_**He's such a tall, dark, strong, and handsome brute**_

Both boys tried to get past the mobs as everyone talked with one another. Mike could overhear people talking about their regular lives and even hearing someone complain about the breakfast they were given at a cart nearby.

_Bonjour!_

_Pardon_

_Good day_

_Mais oui!_

_You call this bacon?_

_What lovely grapes_

_Ten yards_

_One pound_

Chad was begging to get through. "Hey excuse me!" as he continued with the imaginary race. He even tried to get Taylor's attention as he moved but she was too far ahead. All he could hear was the common commotion between neighbors.

_I'll get the knife_

_This bread -_

_Those fish -_

_It's stale!_

_They smell!_

_Madame's mistaken_

Chad was more than halfway through now. He could see Taylor clearly in the distance. He didn't even know what he was going to say to her. Maybe try and talk more about books with her? She loved her books. Maybe he could offer to walk her somewhere. He didn't care if she'd look at him or not, he just wanted to be with her. It was better than Mike and he knew it. Maybe he should warn her about him? Ask her what she thought? So many questions ran through his head, he suddenly had no idea how to talk to Taylor.

_**There must be more than this provincial life!**_

Mike was on his way out now. He could practically taste Taylor's lips on his now. He knew what he was going to do, and no mob of people or girls could stop him. He saw his meat and he was going to get it one way or another. No other girl could ever compare.

_**Just watch, I'm going to make Belle my wife!**_

Just as Mike was about to make his move, Chad pushed his way out and ended up falling on Mike. He nearly gulped when he saw what happened.

"Why you little..." Mike warned.

Chad forced himself up and ran as fast as he could. He whizzed past Taylor, which made her blink and look up from her book.

"Chad what are you doing out here? Don't you have work?" she wondered.

"Yeah. I mean, I did." Chad said quickly, trying to pull himself together as he walked in front of her, eyes locking. "But I..." Oh man, how was he going to keep her around? "I uh...forgot to tell you something! About the book store!"

"Really? What is it?" Taylor asked happily. She was glad that even though one of the last things Chad enjoyed was reading he still respected that she loved it more than almost anything else. Not to mention that he took his job seriously and kept the customers happy.

"Well..." Chad paused to try and think of a response. "...I think we might be getting some more books in tonight."

"Are you?" she asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I think so." Chad replied. "So if you wanted to, I was thinking maybe you could stop by tonight. You could check out a few of them if you want."

"I'd love to. Thanks Chad." Taylor smiled. She started walking away from him but Chad didn't want her to go yet. Mike couldn't touch her if she was with Chad, after all.

Chad quickly pulled her back over. "And um...even if it doesn't come in tonight or if it's late...we can just hang in the book store. You can read any book you want. I mean if you don't want me to stay there or anything I could just open the back room for you..."

Aw, Chad looked so cute when he was nervous. It reminded Taylor of Prince Charming in her story. "No, I'd love some company." she smiled. And how could she say no to Chad after everything he always did for her?

"Great. Great, great. Really great." Chad smiled, even though he was stuttering.

"Oh hey, I'm on my way downtown. Do you want to come with me?" Taylor wondered.

Really? Him with Taylor? Walking together? In public? As in not in the book store? As in outside? "I'd love to." he blurt out almost right away. He realized how eager he sounded and tried to change his response a little. "I mean, it'd be my pleasure."

Taylor smiled at Chad and turned on her heel, going back to walking. Chad smiled back and walked beside her, occasionally looking over her shoulder to see the story.

"So what's it about?" Chad wondered.

Taylor looked at him and smiled. "Here's let's start from the beginning. You can read the whole thing." she said.

So she and Chad walked off together side by side as the townspeople watched them.

_**Look there she goes a girl who's strange but special**_

_**A most peculiar mad'moiselle**_

_**It's a pity and a sin**_

_**She doesn't quite fit in**_

_**'Cause she really is a funny girl**_

_**A beauty but a funny girl**_

_**She really is a funny girl**_

_**That Belle  
**_

**

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**Ok, that be this chapter. I hope it was decent enough to everyone's liking. Not as much fluff as there probably should be, though. I just went through the song lyrics and I thought, hey this describes Taylor rpetty well. Man I feel so guilty, making more stories revolve around her than Chad, and Chad's like my favorite character. XD Now while at school toady I was trying to think of other ideas for fanfics to type and the depressing thing was that, nothing came to me. How sad is that? I'm not sure if it was just because it was between eight forty-five and eleven a.m. or if I'm using all my good ideas already. And the next time I will add a chapter here, which I don't know what's gonna be next cause I'm running outta songs again, I will thank people for reviewing the oneshots in general. And like I say, I like writing what people want to read. They can see what they like to and it helps me figure out what kinds of twists and such to add in. So it works both ways, right? Only other thing I have to say here is how mad I am with myself. I read through most of my other songfics here and I found a ton of typos. And I'm mad that either my computer didn't catch them or I just completely missed them. So I might have to fix those soon.**  
**


	18. Eyes

So I didn't have work tonight and since I'm known to procrastinate with homework and all, I thought I'd finally update these oneshots again. See, I had a dream about HSM last night. It was a small garden wedding for, you guessed it, Chad and Taylor. And before I had the dream about it I found some Disney CD's and started listening to them, one of the CD's being Brother Bear. And I heard "Look Through my Eyes" on it and as usual, loved it. So bam, got the idea for this songfic. It took a little longer to write this cause I got distracted watching the Chronicles of Narnia on ABC Family. Hey, I only saw the middle of it once and there was nothing else on. By the way, you know I don't own HSM or anything else mentioned in the story or that I've already mentioned, right? Good. So now before I let you get onto this chapter, I just wanna thank people for the reviews so far. ^^ So thank you to digigirl02 (also thanks for a song suggestion C=), ChaylorTwilightQueen10, jadedXelement, caligymnast2006, xo-kween-dilemma-ox, allyxocorbin, Always-Here-Imani, Rose of Hope (also thanks for the song suggestions earler C=), cornique chaylor girl, MermaidRam85, and iheartchad andtaylor.

**

* * *

There are things in life you learn**

**And oh in time you'll see**

There used to be a time when he saw those eyes it meant absolutely nothing to him, that they were no different from any other girls' eyes. They were a simple shade of brown and were just another feature on a girls' face. There used to be a time when he could care less about such a pair of brown eyes. There was nothing special about them; they needed neither compliments nor words of any sort to describe them. There was nothing impressive or dull about them. They were just another set of eyes to him.

**It's out there somewhere**

**It's all waiting**

**If you keep believing**

He took one second to look into those eyes at last, and he saw everything. Sure, they were merely plotting together, but as they compared notes and gave their ideas, he couldn't steer away from those eyes. They weren't just a simple set of brown pupils. They accompanied everything else about her perfectly that he finally noticed after so many years. Her eyes held so much insight, so much knowledge. And now she was extending some of that knowledge onto him, even if in their cases it was for selfish reasons. Her eyes only reflected how calm her voice sounded, yet even then he could swear he saw some hate for him still twinkling in them. And who could blame her after they spent so many years acting as enemies to one another? But that one second he took to stare into those eyes, everything changed.

**Do don't run**

**Don't hide**

**It will be alright**

**You'll see**

**Trust me**

**I'll be there watching over you**

He began seeing so much more emotion in those eyes. At first he thought they reflected nothing, appearing as stoic as she did most of the time. But the more they hung out, the more their feelings began to develop for each other and the more he could see in those eyes. The hate he had first seen in them dwindled and they were replaced with care, compassion, and affection. He saw happiness in them and they lit up every time she smiled. He loved seeing that smile and he loved every chance he got to look into those eyes. They were the first thing he would notice about her every day. They were her best feature. It wasn't her seemingly flawless hair, her curves, her appearance, or even her smile. Yes of course he found them attractive, but they weren't the best. It was her eyes that outshined every one of those features. He would compliment them every time they went out and made sure to look in them at least once a day. They were so easy to get lost in, like a trance. Once he was dragged in there had to be some kind of distraction to get him out. He couldn't control it. They were big beautiful brown eyes. He saw them at their brightest and at their darkest. He loved them best at their brightest, when they gave off that more-than-content-aura but he couldn't complain about them when they were dull; he would never remove his gaze from those eyes no matter what the circumstances. Because he had found out that her eyes revealed everything about her and he could see her soul through them. He wanted to be a part of that soul.

**Just take a look through my eyes**

**There's a better place somewhere out there**

**Just take a look through my eyes**

**Everything changes**

**You'll be amazed what you'll find**

**(There's a better place)**

**If you look through my eyes**

_This was the night when he realized it all. He was on a date with her; they were seniors in high school just seen as another couple. There was nothing serious between them and they were taking it slow. But one night they were alone in her household, just sitting on the couch in the living room as the movie ended. They were now talking and listening to the radio in the background._

"_So about your next baseball game?" she inquired with a smile._

_He smiled and nodded. "It's next Friday. One of the big playoff games." He replied. "You're not much of a sports girl, Tay. Are you sure you wanna come and watch?"_

_Taylor smiled playfully and rolled her eyes. "If I can be there for your basketball games I can be there for your baseball games. I like watching you play."_

_He felt his smile grow. "So does that mean you'll also let me come to your Decathlon competitions?"_

"_I don't know Chad." She teased. "You might get bored and fall asleep."_

"_When you're up there showing off your smarts?" he chuckled. "Never. You actually make me pay attention. I would've never been so much easier into my schoolwork if it weren't for you."_

"_And I wouldn't know a thing about sports like I did for the rest of my life without you." Taylor smiled. "It's a better source of entertainment than I ever thought."_

_Their conversation would have continued if it weren't for the next song on the radio._

_**There will be times on this journey**_

_**All you'll see is darkness**_

"_I love this song!" Taylor exclaimed._

_Chad raised an eyebrow. "What song is it?" he wondered._

"_Haven't you seen any Disney movies?" Taylor inquired. "This is a song from the movie 'Brother Bear'. It's Phil Collins."_

_Chad couldn't help but chuckle. "I didn't know you liked Disney movies."_

_Taylor blushed slightly. "My younger brother loves those types of movies. When I baby-sit him I often watch with him."_

"_Maybe we should watch one of those movies sometime." Chad suggested._

_The smile on Taylor's face grew. "I'd really like that."_

_Chad smiled and scooted a little closer to her. He slipped his arm around her shoulder. "So about this song," he said as he glanced at her eyes, "tell me about it."_

_**But out there somewhere**_

_**Daylight finds you**_

_**If you keep believing**_

"_It's called 'Look Through my Eyes'." She explained. "It's originally about a man looking through the eyes of a different creature and realizing that any previous theories he had about them were no different from his own kind. But in a bigger sense it could really be about two people looking through each others' eyes and finding out that they're not so different, and that even people who are complete opposites can have so much more in common than they realize."_

_Chad loved it when she got all technical like that. She always tried to simplify her explanations to him as best she could just so he could understand. But any explanations she gave him just sounded so brilliant, like they had the same insight he saw in her eyes for the first time he looked into them._

"_So what's your intake on the song?" he wondered._

_Taylor loved that he actually could sit there and listen to her opinions. He didn't just think that girls were meant to be seen and not heard. Chad valued her opinions and always thought so highly of her. He always gave her a confidence boost when she really needed it._

"_I believe that the eyes are a person's most important feature. They give a person vision and when that vision is gone every other sense enhances. Touch. Taste. Smell. Hearing." She started. "But the eyes hold more than a person can see. They reveal a person's true emotion, their real inhibitions. Everything that one cannot see right away is all held in the eyes. They are the keys to a person's soul. I believe that the way to get to know a person isn't just by talking with them and being with them, but rather to look right into their eyes."_

"_So does that mean we can talk about your eyes?" Chad asked with a smile. For you see, those were what drew him in from the start of her explanation._

"_I'm talking about eyes in general, Chad. No one's in particular." Taylor replied._

"_So then maybe you'd like to hear my opinion." Chad said. "Because I see the perfect example right here."_

_**So don't run**_

_**Don't hide**_

_**It will be alright**_

_**You'll see**_

_**Trust me**_

_**I'll be there watching over you**_

_Chad adjusted himself on the couch a little, his arm remaining around Taylor. "I used to think eyes were just another feature on a person, particularly a girl. I would look at them and think, what the heck? There's nothing special about them." He said. "But I was wrong from the start. Because I looked into someone's eyes once and to me, they held the world. I saw things that I never noticed before and I thought for sure that the girl I was looking at, I knew so much better just because of those eyes." Taylor looked at him and listened as Chad then moved a few strands of hair out of her face. Chad smiled as he added, "And they look so much better when they're not covered with that soft hair."_

_Taylor smiled and giggled. Their eyes were now locked with one another and they were both trapped in each others' gazes. They were gazes that they could not escape. Right then and there they could see everything in their eyes. Each set of brown eyes held feelings of love and happiness. They needed nothing else. No words even needed to escape their mouths because their eyes spoke for them. They knew exactly what the other desired to say more than anything._

_And then they sealed it with a soft, yet passionate kiss. The song played in the background as the kiss began to deepen. The hand that Chad used to remove some of Taylor's hair from her face was now on her cheek and his other hand found its way around her low waist. His curls brushed up against her face and Taylor giggled softly into the kiss at their feel. Her arm went under his and ended up on his back, gently gripped onto his shoulder while her other hand gentle caressed the side of his neck. Chad pulled her in closer until she was almost on top of his lap. They couldn't even bare to leave each others' lips for different parts of each others' bodies. They just sat there lost in each other and let the feel of one on the other satisfy them. All that feeling, all that passion, and all that love just from looking into a pair of eyes._

**Just take a look (take a look) through my eyes**

**There's a better place somewhere out there**

**Just take a look through my eyes**

**Everything changes**

**You'll be amazed what you'll find**

**(There's a better place)**

**If you look through my eyes**

So now here they were dancing together, never once removing their gaze from the other. It was a small garden party and all eyes were on the couple. They were dressed at their very best as they swayed along with the music. Chad was in a black tux accompanied by a blue tie and violet flower, and Taylor in a flowing white dress, though there was a faint tint of a light purple, with low heels. Those were the colors for the occasion, blue and purple, as they were their favorite colors, though regular whites or blacks did complement them.

Both sets of parents were there watching happily and could see the soft smiles on their children. The best man couldn't help but smile, knowing ages ago that one day they'd be looking at this very scene. The maid of honor watched the pair romantically and looked at her boyfriend, the best man, with the same emotions their friends on the dance floor were holding for each other. It was such a happy day, and if there wasn't a dry eye in the garden then there wasn't a set of sad eyes around for miles.

**All the things that you can change**

**There's a meaning in everything**

**And you will find all you need**

**There's so much to understand**

They were dancing to that very song, Taylor's personal favorite. When she suggested that they choose that song, Chad couldn't say no. It only reminded Chad of the reason he fell for her. And thought right now they remained lost in each other, they began speaking in hushed tones so no one else could hear them. It was meant for their ears and theirs alone.

**Take a look (take a look) through my eyes**

**There's a better place somewhere out there**

**Just take a look (take a look) through my eyes**

**Everything changes**

**You'll be amazed what you'll find**

**(You'll be amazed if you just take a look)**

"You have no idea what this means to me." Taylor whispered. "That out of every song we could have chosen, we picked this one."

"Well it is kind of special isn't it?" Chad admitted with a smile, the same one she was giving him. "It was like when we had our first real kiss, not one of those regular everyday kisses. The kind that actually mean something; that's what we had the first time we heard this song."

"And I love it." Taylor said. "I loved it then and I loved it now." Her arms moved around his neck completely and her head rested on his shoulder. Chad responded by completely wrapping his arms around her and placing his head on her shoulder, resting it against her head. "I couldn't imagine listening to this song or even dancing to this song with anyone else." She whispered.

**Just take a look (take a look) through my eyes**

**There's a better place somewhere out there**

**Just take a look (take a look) through my eyes**

**Everything changes**

**You'll be amazed what you'll find (what you'll find)**

"I think this is the reason I first fell for you." Chad admitted quietly. "I took one look at your eyes and everything just changed. And I can't believe how long it took me to realize it. If I had taken just one minute to talk to you and spend even a second looking at those eyes…. Man, it took me so long to do that."

"And it took me too long just to see what your eyes held." Taylor replied. She could just imagine looking into Chad's eyes now. "One look into them and I realized that there was more to you than just basketball, your ego, and hair."

Chad chuckled at the last one. "I would have never imagined that there was more to you than your brains and your looks. But there was so much more. And I'm glad I saw it. You were right. A person's eyes are they key to their soul."

"I think there's more to it than that." Taylor smiled. She pulled her head off his shoulder and rested her forehead against his after gently removing a few curly bangs from his face.

"And what would that be, my dear?" Chad inquired with a warm grin.

**(There's a better place)**

**If you look through my eyes**

**Just take a look through my eyes**

**(There's a better place)**

**If you look through my eyes**

"A person's eyes hold so much emotion. And every time I look into yours all I see is love." Taylor smiled softly. "I think that if you look deep enough into them, they can also hold the key to a person's heart. And your eyes hold the key to mine, Chad Danforth."

"Likewise," Chad smiled, "yours will always hold the key to my heart, Taylor McKessie-Danforth."

They smiled at each other as the song came to an end, their gazes falling into each other again. And they shared one softer, gentler kiss to celebrate the occasion. There could not have been a more perfect ending to the perfect wedding.

**Take a look through my eyes**

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**Ok, probably not the longest chapter so far. But everything sounded better in my head. And it made sense, didn't it? Well, I don't know. I hope it did. So I won't do any other updating tonight. I'll see what happens tomorrow what I get the chance to update, if anything. If not, then I promise I'll update something on Monday. I've got a three hour break in between my two classes so I can at least type something on my laptop and if I have to, upload it when I get home. So now that you're done hearing me being all Yakkity Yak and everything, go ahead on your way. Shoo! XD Oh c'mon, I'm just kidding around. You don't really have to shoo if you don't want to. C'mon don't leave a girl alone with her computer.... Yeah, definitely too much TV and too much drama. -_-


	19. Reflection

Sorry for not updating these oneshots in a long time. I was completely stumped on what songs to use (I still do remember the second Start to the Right suggestion, but it just seems to soon to do that one). So I was looking all around for Disney lyrics and what I don't get is why there are lyrics to the movie Anastasia in the category. That movie is not Disney. I think it's Fox or something. I don't know, should I still use at least one of the songs? Do you guys have any other suggestions on songs to use? I could use some assistance, if it's not too much trouble.

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I can't believe I actually went through with it. What was I thinking, even stooping so low? It's low even for me. All because of a little green bug. No, not some cricket or caterpillar. More like a green bug of jealousy. Girls, let this be a lesson to you. Never live your worst fear and be like your worst enemy just to get the guy.

_Look at me_

_I will never pass for a perfect bride_

_Or a perfect daughter_

I came clean to my parents, the guilt taking complete control of my by dinner in my own home. I confessed what I did and my parents were quite disappointed. Not just with my actions, but for who I was trying to get in the process. The boy I had my eye on…the one whose relationship I completely destroyed just five hours ago…wasn't exactly who they thought I would fall for. I was their youngest child and their smartest, the apple of their eyes. Well, at least without my older sister in the house after she moved to college. But needless to say, my parents were disappointed in me at that moment for being their daughter and for my taste in men.

_Can it be, _

_I'm not meant to play this part?_

Maybe I should back up just a little. See, the guy that I've been crushing on all year got a new girlfriend. And the sad thing was, it's the same kind he always gets. Typical. Shallow. Self-centered. Hot. Cheerleader. Six things that I will never be in my lifetime. I suppose I can't blame him, though; a popular, cute jock like him would never go for a lonely schoolgirl braniac. I was stupid to even think I stood a chance with him. I saw those two together so much all week…it just drove me crazy. What else was I supposed to do, sit back and feel my heart drop five thousand feet? Well, not me. Not Taylor McKessie.

When she wasn't looking, I might have planted a few insects in her gym bag (or rather cheer bag). Nothing poisonous or anything – honest. Just a few harmless bugs from the science lab. As soon as she ran away screaming I put them all back. Of course there was the matter of the tarantula remaining on her forehead even as she desperately ran to the protection of her boyfriend. So to avoid trouble I had to catch up with her to get it back, say it escaped or something. Let's be realistic, the girl would make my life a living hell hole if she knew it was I who did that to her.

I managed to get the critter back…only to be caught red-handed by Chad Danforth. Yes, the jock I, the brainiac, have stupidly been crushing on. He saw me put the insects back in their cages in the science lab, evidently. Why he was in that neck of the hallway, I'll never know. But needless to say, I made a fast getaway before he could say a word to me. That was my second mistake – not apologizing for doing that to his girlfriend when I knew the jig was up. I found out by the end of my next class that Chad and his hot cheerleading girlfriend were over. And it was my fault.

_Now I see_

_That if I were truly to be myself_

_I would break my family's heart_

So now you know the story. Obviously my parents want me to do the right thing and apologize. Even I know I should; it's the only thing that will clear my conscience. Just looking at myself, even in the smallest compact mirror from my sister's room, I couldn't recognize the good girl I always was. I did all my homework. I ate all my vegetables. I never even got a detention in my life, let alone get grounded. And now here I am, as good as dead because of my jealousy.

But that's just it. Sometimes maybe I do want to break lose. Nothing extreme like sneak out of the house and get drunk or anything, but maybe do something else on a Saturday night other than just do homework and study, for example. Participate more in the school aside from just Chem Club and the Scholastic Decathlon. But that's not me. That's not who I am. Who I was this morning was a good girl, a straight A student, a content woman, and down to earth. Now, eight and a half hours later, I'm some psycho witch who's jealous, angry, and constantly zoning out. That's not me. At least, I don't think so. It's certainly not who I want to be.

_Who is that girl I see_

_Staring straight back at me?_

I decided to take this into my own hands. It was time to make thing right again – or at least as right as they could be. Time to come clean, time to confess my feelings, and time for Chad to get his girl back. I wouldn't be surprised if it started raining as soon as my apology was finished and he closed the door on me. Heck, I wouldn't blame him even if he closed the door on me before I got to my apology. I would totally deserve it. But at least, even without my parents forcing me into doing it, I want to make up for what I did. So as soon as I arrived at the Danforth household, I knocked on the door and patiently waited for someone to answer. I was just hoping it was Chad, because then I could get everything all said and done with. And surely enough, he was the one that came to the door.

"What brings you over here, McKessie?" Chad asked, partially folding his arms in the doorway. See, we've been enemies since kindergarten. Our hobbies, our lifestyles, everything about us, just don't mix together. We never got along. How I ever let myself fall for a lunkhead like him…let's just say it's the last smart thing I could ever do.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened today." I sighed, attempting to refrain myself from rolling my eyes. "I know thing didn't end well with you and your…" I managed to barely hiss out the word, "…girlfriend."

"I've been getting apologies all day." Chad shrugged. "Why's it such a big deal to you?"

Because I like you, you piece of…garbage, to be polite. But of course I would never say any of that. But was I really going to stand there on his porch, in his doorway, and just him speak to me like that? I think not.

"You know what, I don't know why I even bothered to come here." I scowled. "Just go back and do whatever it is lunkhead basketball boys like yourselves do." I turned on my heel and began making my way off his property. He didn't even seem to have any objections to me leaving; I didn't hear him say a word with my back turned to him. So why did that make me feel so low? Even lower than I've been all day?

_Why is my reflection_

_Someone I don't know?_

I sighed and slowly turned back to face him, surprised to take note that Chad was still standing in the doorway as though nothing had happened. What was going on through his mind?

I moved some bangs out of my face and slowly walked back over to him. "Sorry, I didn't mean any of that. Let me start over." I said softly.

Chad seemed to agree with a nod. "I'm listening."

I took a deep breath and let myself explain everything, even though I knew it meant torture for the rest of my days at East High. "The reason that I am sorry about how it went down between you and your girlfriend is because it was me who did it. I was…jealous and decided to play a little trick on her. So as you may have noticed, I borrowed a few insects from the science lab and used them to freak her out. But I didn't plan on accidentally leaving that tarantula in her hair."

Chad chuckled, but I have no idea why. Was he finding my apology…humorous? What was this boy's problem? I opened my mouth to start questioning him, but he spoke before I could accuse him of anything.

"No, you shoulda left it on her." He laughed. "It's the best she's looked all year."

I blinked, completely lost now. And that was something that hardly ever happened. "Excuse me?" I asked. "But she's…"

Chad just shook his head as he cut me off, looking right at me. And at that moment I could feel his eyes staring right into mine. As much as I wanted it to be for the same way I always looked at him when he wasn't looking, my head was telling me that he was purposefully leading me on or that he was trying to end it. Anything but return my feelings.

"Nothing compared to you." He finished calmly.

Now I knew this was all a trick. He was just playing a flattery card, I just knew it.

"No. No she's not." I replied. "She is athletic and flexible, attractive, popular…." I tried to search for more positive qualities but even I was stooping too low to think of any. So I said the only other thing I could think of, "…and evidently perfect."

"No, she's not." Chad seemed to disagree. "Attractive, yes. Popular, very. Flexible, more than she needs to be. She's not perfect."

I quirked an eyebrow, trying to understand his lunkheaded mind. "Then why go out with her?"

I thought I heard a sigh escape from Chad, but even if not I still saw him shrug his shoulders. He almost seemed a bit distant, like he was hiding something. He finally looked at me again and said straight out, "Because she's actually in my league."

I just shook my head, not believing him. "You could have any girl you want, Danforth. No one is out of your league. Not for co-captain of East High's favorite and most beloved sport."

"No, I can't." was his response. "Because there's at least one girl who's completely out of my league. And she's nothing like any of those cheerleaders. She's smart, confident, classy, strong, pretty…"

"If it's one of my Decathlon friends then what's stopping you from going after her?" I started spitting out. How could he do this to me, actually thinking of going after one of my friends? I couldn't just stand around here and listen to him go on about someone like Martha Cox or Gabriella Montez. "Forget it, I'm not going to help you get her." I shook my head as I started storming away. Could this day get any worse?

_Somehow I cannot hide_

_Who I am,_

_Though I've tried_

"I don't want your help getting her!" Chad called after me.

I just rolled me eyes and shook my head, hoping he'd take the hint. I couldn't stand to listen to him anymore; I just wanted him out of my earshot and out of my sight.

"I'm talking about you!" I heard Chad yell, almost sounding desperate.

I stopped dead in my tracks and slowly turned around to him – and I mean slowly. I blinked, wondering if somehow I misheard him. I could feel a lump rising in my throat, thinking that this wouldn't end well. That it was all some sick joke he was playing on me. That his cheerleading girlfriend would pop out from the bushes and psyche me out, making me run home crying.

"What?" I managed to choke out.

Chad sighed and stepped off his porch, walking over to me and stopping almost right in front of me. I couldn't read the look in his eyes. I just knew it couldn't be true. There was just no way. So I took a chance and repeated my question.

"What?"

Chad paused, almost looking like he was biting his tongue before he said anything else. "I'm talking about you." He said audibly, making each word clear and concise.

"No, you're not." I shook my head in disbelief. "No you're not. You're a jock. You're one of the most popular guys in school. You're funny, attractive, charismatic, athletic…"

"I know I'm a lot of stuff." Chad interrupted. "What are you trying to say?"

Yeah, what was I trying to say? Here I was pulling out his best qualities, the ones I've actually been able to pull out of him and take notice of, and he knew all that? Or didn't he…? I'm not even sure what we're talking about anymore. All I knew was that I had to get this over with and just let him in on my feelings, leave, and make sure to avoid him at all times necessary.

_When will my reflection show_

_Who I am inside?_

"A jock...can't like...a brainiac." I stated as clearly as I could, trying to get the message through his thick skull.

Chad took a baby step closer to me. "Give me one good reason why." he said simply yet quietly.

I just shook my head. "How would it look? A jock and a brainiac who can barely even stand each other or be lucky enough to stay in the same room together without biting each others' heads off?" I asked. "It would not only mean a tarnished reputation for the brainiac but also a major downgrading on the jock. That's not worth anything." I tried walking away again, but I felt Chad's hand grasp my wrist, which caused my to stop dead in my tracks. I turned back to him once more, just wishing that somehow soon we could end this and I wouldn't be left too heartbroken.

"Something like that would be worth anything." Chad responded. I looked down briefly before Chad continued, which had me look up at him again. "And for the record," he added, "today gave me a reason to break up with her."

I blinked. "What? How?"

"She made a big deal out of a few harmless bugs. It was all harmless fun. And if she doesn't know the meaning of fun or even know how to crack a laugh that doesn't sound all giddy or like a pig's going to come out of her nose, then she's not the one for me." Chad chuckled.

I sighed, knowing he had to know now. "It wasn't all harmless fun." I confessed softly. "It was all harmful jealousy. She had something I wanted and it made me sick to see that everyday. So...it was my way of comeuppance."

"Come up what?" Chad asked, perplexed.

"Comeuppance." I repeated, then defined. "Revenge."

Chad nodded, seeming to understand. But then he raised an eyebrow again. "So what did you want revenge for? You look like you have so much more than she does."

I shook my head. "She has a lot of things I don't. The main one being you."

"So what are you saying, Taylor?" Chad asked.

I sighed. My name sounded so good when he said it. Too bad I would never hear it again. Just the thought of him actually saying my name again, as calmly and softly as he did, sent chills down my spine.

"I've seen you go through so many girls this year. None of them were right for you. I wanted to be the right one for you." I admitted.

And then he did something completely unexpected. He kissed me. Yes, you heard right. Chad Danforth actually kissed me! It was brief but it was so soft and gentle.

"You were always the right one for me." Chad said, looking right into my eyes. "But I could never have someone like you. That's why I went for the cheerleaders. They're actually in my league."

"Why would you even think that?" I wondered quietly.

"Because you're everything those girls aren't." Chad answered.

"No, I'm not." I sighed. "After what I did today, I'm just as bad as they are. I'm not even sure how I can look at myself anymore."

I felt Chad take my hand in his. I met his eyes and blinked. "The same way I've looked at you every day for two years when no one was watching." he confessed softly. He placed his other hand on my cheek and then captured my lips and another soft kiss. But this one lasted much longer. It was just like I always dreamed it was. I returned the kiss and let my arms wrap themselves around his neck.

All this time I was worried about how I could look at myself, knowing I did something so wrong. Knowing that I had to make things right again. But here I am, with the guy of my dreams, and he's looking at me like what I did was a blessing. Maybe this was me just getting a break. That I knew what I did was wrong and I was rewarded for making everything right. So I guess the worst of it is over then.

Now the only problem left is explaining this to my parents.

_When will my reflection show_

_Who I am inside?

* * *

_So this was the song "Reflection" from the movie Mulan, which I only own as a video and soundtrack. Much like it's all I own of HSM. But that's besides the point. Anyway, this was the only idea I could come up with in a long time so if it's not too much trouble, once again, I could really use a few more suggestions or else these oneshots will be coming to an end soon. And sorry if the title's repetitive of the song, it was the only one I could come up with on such short notice. xD_  
_


	20. BONUS 1

Yup, this is a bonus chapter. I haven't gotten a lot of reviews lately...or for my oneshots of the HSM future or whatever I called it either. And I updated it last week. That's how bad my memory must be getting. Anyway I just got off spring break and I can now officially use the Internet on my laptop at school! Anyhow, in case youre wondering how this is a bonus, lemme explain. I was doing my art homework last night and was on youtube listening to some old Disney songs, like the classic versions. So some of the songs I really like revised versions and the old versions. Hence the bonus chapter(s). Same song as one used before, but a different version. I was listening to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from the Lion King and bam, I got the perfect idea with the clasic version. So please, enjoy.

* * *

"Dude, we gonna shoot hoops or what?" Zeke asked Chad as he ran into the room. "C'mon, we got practice to do."

Chad looked up at his friend and roommate. "Can't man. I got plans tonight."

"Again?" Zeke asked. "That's the ninth time this month. Jason and I are stuck on our own."

"Maybe some other time." Chad said. "I'm meeting my girl."

Zeke's mouth dropped again. Not that he wasn't happy for his friend, but he had also seen the case before. Zeke and Jason had at first been roommates with their friend Troy until he met his girl. Troy had spent so much time with her that he started drifting away from his friends and moved in with her, leaving Zeke and Jason in the dust. That's when Chad came into the picture. Shortly after Troy moved out, Jason and Zeke started looking for a new roommate. Chad moved in and they've been buds since. But that was five long months ago by now.

**_I can see what's happening_**

**_What?_**

**_And they don't have a clue_**

**_Who?_**

"Dude...do you really wanna try and get serious with her?" Zeke asked. "I mean, there are plenty of other fish in the sea."

"I know." Chad nodded. He sat down on his bed. "It's just...I haen't had much luck with girls before. I finally got an awesome feeling about this one. you've met her, Zeke. You guys get along. She's smart and pretty and fun and confident and down to Earth..."

"I've noticed." Zeke nodded.

Jason ran up into the room a moment later. "Chad, friend-girl's at the front door." he said.

Ok so Chad and Taylor weren't exactly official, but they were kind of seeing each other exclusively. Zeke was surprised they hadn't become boyfriend and girlfriend yet, actually. But if there was a bright side, it's that Chad wasn't falling in as quickly as Troy was. Jason on the other hand...well, he'd just get oh so confused. No exaggeration.

"Thanks man." Chad grinned. "I'll be back before midnight, kay?" He picked up his car keys and tossed them in the air before catching them. "Later guys." With a smile plastered onto his face, Chad went downstairs.

Jason raised an eyebrow, then turned to Zeke. "What's going on with them?" he asked.

Zeke couldn't help but sigh. "Love, man."

"Eh?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Bet neither of them wanna admit it, but they're catching onto it." Zeke replied. "Chad's becoming another Troy."

**_They'll fall in love_**

**_And here's the bottom line_**

**_Our trio's down to two_**

**_Oh_**

"Wait...we're losin another bud?" Jason gasped.

"Unfortunately." Zeke sighed. "There's nothing we can do about it, man. He's gone to the girls and pretty soon he'll move in with her. We'll be back to square one."

"So why can our roommates always get girls so much easier?" Jason wondered. "What do they have that we don't?"

"Not a clue." Zeke shook his head. "I mean, I guess I can understand with Troy. He was always like a lady's man. And Chad seems like a decent guy for a girl. But hey, we're dudes. How are we supposed to know what girls look for or if a guy's cute?"

"Good point." Jason nodded. "But we could get girls...couldn't we?"

"Well...yeah." Zeke nodded. "I mean, I'm a sensitive caring guy. I love to bake. I love to entertain. And you..." Oh wait, what could he say about Jason? That he was clueless? That he always played dumb? "...you have a great sense of humor."

"Yeah." Jason nodded eagerly. "Girls love guys who can crack a good laugh."

"And girls like guys who can bake." Zeke added. "But then there's our friends who have so much more luck than us."

"Well...should we try and stop Chad from going anywhere? Like before he turns to their side?" Jason wondered.

Zeke sighed. "I wish. But who are we to ruin his relationship? Everyone deserves love."

"So why not us?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, why not us?" Zeke repeated.

**_Ze sweet caress of twilight_**

**_There's magic everywhere_**

**_And with all this romantic atmosphere_**

**_Disaster's in the air_**

"C'mon Tay, the water's great!" Chad called as he jogged across the shallow water on the beach.

Taylor giggled as she merely took a few steps forward. "Should we really be playing in the water? It could be called. And we'll get all soaked...I didn't even bring a bathing suit."

"Bathing suit, shmathing shmuit." Chad chuckled and rolled his eyes. "You know you wanna come in."

"And if I don't?" she inquired with a quirked eyebrow.

"I'll pull you in myself." he answered temptingly.

"Oh no..." her eyes widened. "you wouldn't...."

"Oh, but I would." Chad smirked. "Get over here Taylor, you don't know what you're missing!"

Taylor squeaked and started running with Chad right on her tail. She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and spun her around, but didn't pull her into the water. She giggled and looked up at him, the mood softening just a bit. "So how long have you been in Albuquerque now?" she wondered, trying to make more small talk.

Chad thought for a minute. "I think I lost count after three months."

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Didn't we meet about three or four months ago?" she estimated.

"Exactly." Chad nodded with a smile.

**Can you feel the love tonight?**

**The peace the evening brings**

**The world for once**

**In perfect harmony**

**With all its living things**

"So you start out in California, then decide to transfer colleges to New Mexico, seemingly in the middle of nowhere?" she inquired. "Why ever was that?"

It's not like Chad would ever tell her the whole story. He was ashamed of who he used to be. He had told Zeke and Jason, of course, only to be honest with them as his roommates and friends. Truth was, Chad had done a few things that he regretted. He was a player in high school and had gotten in trouble more time than he could count. He almost didn't even make it to college. But somehow he did; his grades got up just enough to get in somewhere. But he had gotten expelled from his previous college. And when Chad reapplied for a new semester somewhere else, and the administration took one look at his transcripts, he explained that he was ready to make changes and to make things right. He didn't want to get kicked out of another school and he wanted to make it count. That seemed to work, though even after one semester he had still been on probation as far as they were considered.

But Taylor...she was a genius. She had a full scholarship and was valedictorian of her high school class. Chad couldn't compete with that. If she had ever found out about the guy he used to be, what a bad seed he was, she'd dump him in a heartbeat. Their ongoing relationship would end before it could even start. The couple had barely even had a proper kiss yet, other than a few rare quick pecks on the lips or on the cheeks. That was it. Maybe it wasn't even anything serious or to worry about. But to Chad, however, it was.

"Let's just say I needed to make a change." he finally answered. "For the better."

"Had a few problems, have you?" Taylor asked.

The pair didn't know every little thing about each other. They had shared basic information about themselves. Their likes, their dislikes, their dreams, etc. Nothing ever about their past or any problems they ever had.

"Kind of, yeah." Chad nodded. "And what about you, little miss perfect?"

Taylor giggled. "No one's perfect, Chad. In one person's eyes, now that's just a metaphor. But typically speaking, realistically speaking, it could never be true." She gently let herself out of his grip and turned to face him.

**So many things to tell her**

**But how to make her see**

**The truth about my past? Impossible!**

**She'd turn away from me**

"Perfection includes looks, personality, speech, and strengths. There's no such thing as flaws with perfect people. No stubbornness, no zoning out, no weaknesses, no anything. For a guy, I can only imagine what the perfect girl would be. Beautiful? Always, that I know. Independence? Perhaps. Physical strength? In most cases I'd believe that the male figure would prefer to be stronger than the female, to not be seen as the weaker sex. Brains? Possibly. But head-strong? Most likely not. From what I've seen, a man would prefer his woman to always agree with him, to not speak her mind, and always act happy around him." Taylor explained. "Now a girl's perfect guy...that also depends. But overall the assumptions would be the same. Looks? Drop dead gorgeous with muscles and the works. Brains? Perhaps some girls would like a smart guy, or maybe others just want to have one thing over them other than strength. Phyiscal strength? Most likely to show off for them or to carry them around. Caring? Most definitely; they would need someone to go to and to listen to their problems. You have the idea, right?"

Chad nodded. "I get what you're saying...but there's always gonna be someone that's perfect to someone else. And trust me, all the girls I've been with, was one disaster after another. Zeke and Jason are lucky to be single."

"Why's that?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Because they don't have to deal with the pressure. They don't have to live with always trying to impress and take their girl someplace special...they can have all the time they want to themselves." Chad answered. "Maybe they don't wanna be single, and I get that. I don't like being single either but I'd rather be single than with the wrong girl. They're waiting out for the right girl but don't even realize it. They're both great guys and any girl would be lucky to date them. Zeke's great. He's always supportive and he bakes a mean double chocolate chip cookies and cream cake. He could cheer up any girl in a heartbeat. And he's not as weak as he looks; he plays a mean basketball. Zeke's not one of those rugged manipulating kinda guys. And Jason...well he's...well Jason's...he's Jason. There's not much to say about him. I mean, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed and he's not always gonna understand a girl's problems. But he's entertaining. He'll always say something ridiculous to lighten up the mood. He'll be clueless about it, but that's what's gonna make someone laugh. And he's pretty strong, too. He lifted three packs of cans of soda at once one time. But he wouldn't hurt a fly...maybe a spider, but not a fly."

Taylor giggled. "you know your friends pretty well, don't you?"

"Yeah." Chad nodded with a smile. "I guess I do."

"So then what about you?" she asked. "Anything you're not telling me about yourself?"

**He's holding back, he's hiding**

**But what, I can't decide**

**Why won't he be the king I know he is**

**The king I see inside?**

Like she was really going to get an answer out of him that easily. "That I know how to make a mean splash!" Chad exclaimed. He took a few steps back, then ran and jumped into the ocean water, as deep as he could reach from where he was.

Taylor burst out laughing as she watched him. Chad's clothes were now soaked and his hair was falling flat in his face. Water dripped from all around him and his attire suddenly looked too big for him.

"You like?" Chad asked, chuckling.

"I like." she replied in giggles.

"Then come in." Chad insisted, right back to where they started.

"I'm not going in the water." Taylor shook her head with a smile.

"C'mon, the water's just fine! And I'm twice as wet as I was before." Chad replied.

"Which is exactly why I'm staying here where it's dry." Taylor repeated.

"Alright, but you asked for it." Chad asked as he stood up in the water.

"Asked for what?" Taylor wondered.

But it was too late. Chad was already running out of the water and chasing after her again. Now maybe he had let her off the hook last time, just leaving her on the side with him, but Taylor wasn't getting away. Not this time. Chad had plans and he wasn't neglecting them now. He laughed as he grabbed a hold of her arms. He could feel her shivering as her skin instantly became wet with the cold water. She shrieked momentarily and tried to get away, but Chad had already scooped her up in his arms. Laughing, he took Taylor with him as he jumped back into the water. He emerged out from underwater a moment later, not even knowing how he made it in deeper that time. If it were possible, Chad became even more soaked and his smile only grew. He turned his head to look at Taylor, who was slowly coming out from the water next to him. Both were standing from about their chests down in the ocean, and Chad could only laugh as he saw Taylor's reaction. Her hair was in her face, the wave of its length now showing even after she had straightened it earlier, and her clothes were sticking to her instead of looking even bigger. Even while Chad was laughing she could only glare at him. Taylor then splashed some water in his face and tried swimming away. Chad gasped and chased right after her.

**Can you feel the love tonight?**

**The peace the evening brings**

**The world for once**

**In perfect harmony**

**With all its living things**

They had chased each other, swam after each other, in the water for at least ten minutes before they were in each others' arms again under the moonlight. Taylor's arms were around Chad's neck and his were around her back and waist. Their foreheads were so close to each other, ready to lean on the other. Their eyes locked, and the only sound that filled the air was the sound of the waves gently crashing onto the sand.

"So what else do you have to say?" she finally asked with a smile.

"What about?" Chad wondered.

"About yourself." Taylor answered. "You already know all about me."

"I've always know what I needed to know about you." Chad shook his head. "You've got it all. Beauty, brains, confidence, independence..."

"But is that your idea of a perfect girl?" she raised an eyebrow, recalling their earlier conversation. "Someone who may be all those things but also happens to be stubborn, perhaps a bit of a show-off at times, and a strong tendency to always fight for what she believes in?"

"Yes." Chad nodded softly, placing a hand under her chin. "In every way." He took a long pause to study her before speaking again. She seemed touched by his comment, but Chad knew it wasn't made to last. "And that's exactly why I don't deserve you." he confessed with a sigh.

"What are you talking about?" Taylor asked. "Why would you ever think...?"

"I haven't always been the guy you've known so far, Taylor." Chad replied, pulling away slightly. "I can never deserve someone like you." He tried not to look at her as he thought where he should go with this. He knew he wanted to keep seeing her, he knew it in his mind and in his heart. But part of him was still saying that it couldn't happen. Not with his streak. And he certainly didn't want to hurt someone he had grown so close to, that he had such strong feelings for. "And that's exactly why we shouldn't see each other again."

"do you even hear what you're saying?" she asked, putting a hand on his shoulder to keep him there. "What do I not know about you? I think I know everything I need to."

"No you don't." Chad shook his head. "I'm a bad guy Tay. I got expelled from my first colleges for plaigerism. How can someone like you be with a guy who does something so stupid? And every time I had a girlfriend when I was in high school, I couldn't handle her. I dumped her in a few weeks notice and wouldn't even give her two more looks after that. We've got something really great here and I don't want that to happen to us. I want us to be special, I want us to have something special. But how can we have that special with my streak?"

**Can you feel the love tonight?**

**You needn't to look too far**

"Because people can change." Taylor answered simply. "And obviously if you know your perfect girl, then that means I must know my perfect guy."

Chad raised an eyebrow. "You do?"

"Yes." she nodded. "And he's very funny. Sweet. Optimistic. athletic. Strong. Brave. Not to mention attractive. But he's also reckless, sometimes careless, and impulsive. Not to mention stubborn and egotistical. But he's still perfect to me."

Chad looked down at the water, then back at Taylor. "He must be one lucky guy then, huh?"

"Yes. He is. But not for the reasons he thinks." Taylor shook her head. A smile came across her face as she tilted her head. "And I happen to be looking at him right now."

"What do you mean?" Chad asked.

Taylor giggled. "If you would actually listen, then I could tell you."

Chad nodded and fully faced her, his forehead back up against hers. Something just told him he had to be that close. Maybe she was going to whisper it. Or end up having a staring contest with him. Whatever the case, he leaned in close. "So what do you mean?" he asked again.

Taylor giggled and wrapped her arms back around his neck. "I mean, this." she answeres softly with her warm smile. She moved in just a little closer until her lips brushed up against his. It wasn't a peck but it wasn't deep either. It was just the kiss they needed to get somewhere, for them to really get started. Taylor waited a moment before slowly pulling away and waiting for his response.

Chad was frozen still briefly, until he gave a single nod and smiled. "Would you mind repeating that? I didn't quite catch it." he chuckled.

Taylor smiled and leaned in once more, this time with Chad returning the action as well. It was gentle at first but it was much deeper than anything they've experienced before. It wasn't one of those kiss-then-pull-away kisses. It was the kind that really meant something, that just felt special. Neither even wanted to pull away or let it end. They just remained in each others arms kidding for a few minutes, fireworks erupting in their minds as they experienced the feel. Finally, they slowly broke away and couldn't help but smile at each other.

"So...got a boyfriend?" Chad finally asked with a grin.

**Stealing through the night's uncertainties**

**Love is the way they are**

"Wow...can that get any more romantic?" Zeke asked.

"I don't think so." Jason shook his head. "All we're missing now is the popcorn."

Zeke looked at his friend and raised an eyebrow. Ok, so maybe they had followed Chad and Taylor to the beach, and maybe they had been watching...or spying. But it wasn't like they were that close. They were just watching from Zeke's car, a safe distance away. Far enough not to be seen, but seeming to be just close enough to see it all.

"What? Every good imaginary romance movie needs some popcorn." Jason shrugged.

"Well, that is one way of looking at it." Zeke admitted with a nod. "Why can't that be us out there?"

"I dunno. Why can't it?" Jason asked.

"That was a hypothetical question." Zeke muttered.

**_And if he falls in love tonight_**

**_It can be assumed_**

"Oh..." Jason replied slowly.

Zeke could only sigh as he watched the couple. "They sure seme happy out there." he observed.

"Real cloud nine." Jason nodded in agreement. "Like the first time I did that slam dunk in grade nine."

"Yeah. Like that." Zeke said. Yup, just let Jason keep thinking that.

"So what do we do now?" Jason asked. "Should we keep watching them? Or maybe like, try to convince him to give up on her before he leaves us?"

Zeke took a long look at Chad and Taylor, who were now spinning each other around in the water, at least from what he could tell. "You know what?" he answered. "Let them have their fun. I'm sure that whatever went down with their conversation there, they deserve it. Maybe one day we'll have that too."

"Wait..." Jason blinked. "So we're just gonna let him go? But what if he leaves us like Troy did?"

"We'll have to deal with it, I guess." Zeke assumed. "But you know what they say. Third time's the charm."

**_His carefree days with us are history_**

**_In short, our pal is _**

"Um...excuse us?"

Zeke and Jason blinked simultaneously, only to lift their heads and see two really cute girls outside the car. One tall, blond, and feminine, and the other short, shy, and adorable. Their mouths dropped open as they saw the beauties before them.

"Do you think you could give us a ride back to our campus?" the blond asked. "We left the campus for a while and we need to get back to our dorms before curfew."

The boys were silent for a minute. They slowly looked at each other, mirroring their faces. Mouths gaped opened, eyes widened, and bodies completely frozen. Somehow they managed to look back to the girls and nodded.

"Hey...we can take you wherever you want." Zeke stammered.

"Y-y-yeah." Jason agreed more nervously. "Hop in. We'll take you where you need to go."

"Great!" the blond smiled as she got into the back seat.

"Thank you very much." her friend nodded much more quietly, following her in and closing the door.

Zeke smiled and nodded to himself as he turned back to his friend. "Hey Jay," he said, "I think it's finally our turn for love."

Jason grinned and agreed. "I can feel that tonight!"

* * *

So, a little something to pass the time at school and a little something that hopefully you guys enjoyed. If there's any typos I apologize for those. The Internet on my laptop doesn't have spellcheck like it does on my computer at home. And I almost lost this story with computer problems so I'm not about to risk it again. -nod nod- So feel free to let me know if you like it, and I will try and update again as soon as possible. Maybe if I listen to more Disney songs from the old days that'll jump start something again. ^^ So, enjoy your Monday (or whatever day you happen to be reading this on) and see you again soon!


	21. BONUS 2

Wow, reviews are really slow. My stories get that boring? o_0 Sorry, I'm just wondering now. XD I am getting ready to start another new story...it's just a matter of coming up with a name and possibly typing a trailer. Writing one of those is harder than it looks. Ok, so as usual no one would want to pretend I'm talking so let's move onto the story then. It's another bonus chapter cause I just so happened to have the song stuck in my head. -_-' Anyway, hope you enjoy it!  
For the record, I still don't own anything to do with HSM. Not legally anyway. xD

* * *

Taylor McKessie sighed as she looked out her bedroom window. Being grounded was the worst feeling - and all she did was get a minor bad grade on a test. It wasn't like she failed it or anything; Taylor knew that the morning she had taken the exam was an off day for her. Unfortunately her parents weren't as understanding. They expected her to do better. Hence the reason she was spending her Friday night in her bedroom when normally she would be out having a movie night with some of her best friends. And there was still a whole week left to go and Taylor wasn't sure if she could handle it. It was quite ridiculous, actually. She had already started college and, while she was quite the independent young lady, she was close enough to the school to remain under her parents' roof. Therefore they wanted to keep a close watch on her schoolwork. How overprotective they could be sometimes.

Taylor leaned up against the window and took in the evening sky. The moon was full and there was a gentle breeze entering her room. It was quite relaxing, actually. She took in the crisp air and sighed contently. And upon hearing a voice, she opened her brown pupils and looked downwards, seeing a curly-haired male standing at the side of her house. She knew him to be Chad Danforth, more than a bit of a troublemaker around town. Rumor had it that even though he should be in college like her, he was held back and repeating his senior year in high school after pulling some huge prank on the old principal. Now what Taylor thought about him? They were mixed, to say the least. Chad was one to have trouble quietly scattered around his body, but at times he seemed much more caring and inviting. He was two different side of the same coin.

"What are you doing up there?" Chad asked, eying her with a cocky grin.

Taylor stood her ground, not allowing herself to become infatuated so easily. "Well, unlike you I'm not one to disobey parental figures and leave my home going against said punishment." she stated calmly.

"Ah, the typical grounding." Chad seemed to understand. "You play it so safe, Kes."

"And you seem to have a knack for calling people by a portion of their last names. Less than five letters total, if I'm not mistaken." she replied.

Chad nodded as he leaned against the tree, still looking up at her. "You're good, Kes."

"I tend to be." Taylor answered. She leaned forward, her arms resting on the windowsill. "So what brings a bad boy like you over to these parts?"

"You looked like you could use a little excitement." Chad replied. "And you're in luck. I came to the right place."

"Have you now?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"Well if I have the wrong house then I don't want to be right. I only come to check out pretty ladies like yourself." Chad smirked as he began climbing up the tree.

And there was his charming and inviting side at work. Now it was only a matter of time before he dragged her into something that would bring out his alter ego. A robbery, perhaps? Throw eggs at a teachers' home?

"I'm flattered." Taylor smiled, attempting to stop herself from blushing. "But I'm not supposed to talk to someone who will supposedly get me into trouble. Or kicked out of college, for that matter."

"You underestimate me." Chad grinned. He stopped at one of the branches, the closest one to her eye level, and sat down. His arms reached out to the branch above to maintain his balance. Mama didn't raise a complete fool, apparently. "I don't intend to kick you out of college."

"So where do you intend to kick me?" Taylor inquired, tilting her head.

He smirked once more. "Right into my arms."

Taylor paused and blinked. How tempting this boy was. But unfortunately for her, she had not as much confidence as he obtained. She wished to live by certain rules and obligations, and after all the years she spent working toward living up to certain standards she was not prepared to throw it away in one evening. Truly she would wonder what it would be like to go with him, if only for one night. Somehow she just had a feeling that, that was where it was going.

"Is that so now?" she asked.

"Sure is." Chad nodded with a smirk. "You can't stay locked in your house too long, Kes. You gotta learn to live a little. Break the rules some. Have fun."

"I know how to have fun, Chad." Taylor informed him politely. "But I'm not a reckless rule breaker like yourself."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Chad grinned. "But don't knock it till you try it. What'll happen when you gotta get out there and you can't take a step forward? You just need that little push. And I'm just the guy for the job." He stood up straight on the branch and, still holding his balance with his hand gripping onto the branch above, he held out his free hand to Taylor and let a soft voice escape his lips.

_"Oh yeah_

_I can show you the world_

_Shining, shimmering, splendid_

_Tell me princess, now when did you last_

_Let your heart decide?_

_I can open your eyes"_

He kept his hand out as Taylor raised an eyebrow. This was.... Odd. But on the other hand, he had a beautiful voice. It was almost seductive. And all that time he didn't once remove his gaze from her. Taylor was intrigued. And just a small part of her wanted to go with him. She slowly let her hand reach his. Her eyes were locked with his as though she were entranced. As soon as their palms touched, Chad carefully pulled her out of the window and onto the branch beside him.

_"Take you wonder by wonder_

_Over sideways and under_

_On a magic carpet ride_

_A whole new world_

_A new fantastic point of view"_

Chad only continued smiling as he led her down the tree. He touch the ground first, then held his arms out to help Taylor down. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her right into his arms. Taylor blinked and hesitated for a moment. Looked like Chad knew what he was talking about after all. For a brief moment, her arms wrapped around his neck and her face was only inches away from his. Not knowing how to react, Taylor remained still. Somehow Chad took onto her hesitation and gently put her down in front of him. He took her hand once more and Taylor tucked a strand of dark brown locks behind her ear. A perplexed look on her face, she followed right behind Chad, and as soon as they reached the sidewalk they began strolling side by side. It was as though Chad was leading her, leaving Taylor the one forced to take a back seat for once.

_"No one to tell us no_

_Or where to go_

_Or say we're only dreaming"_

Chad spun Taylor around, and they ended up under a street light, like they were unknowingly dancing to the song Chad was singing. Taylor ended up in his arms, her hands resting on her shoulders and their eyes locking once more. But when she opened her mouth to talk, no words escaped. Only lyrics to match Chad's harmony.

_"A whole new world_

_A dazzling place I never knew_

_But now from way up here, it's crystal clear_

_That now I'm in a whole new world with you"_

Her hands slipped down his arms and their fingers intertwined with each other. Chad lifted the arms and slowly slipped one out of her hand and onto her waist. Taylor responded by placing her hand back onto his shoulder and they began dancing, almost as though they were waltzing. Whatever brought it on, neither of them seemed to be complaining. And Taylor, still slightly off guard, could only respond by continuing the song as Chad briefly let his voice overlap hers.

_"Unbelievable sights (unbelievable sights)_

_Indescribable feeling_

_Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling_

_Through and endless diamond sky"_

Chad spun her around once more, which then led to a dip. The moment he brought her back up, they danced circles around each other. And ironically enough, it was something neither of them seemed to see coming. Taylor was not looking at the bad boy she had often noticed down the street nor could she feel a single trouble bone on him as her arms brushed up against his. She could only imagine what Chad was thinking of her now.

_"A whole new world_

_Don't you dare close your eyes_

_A hundred thousand things to see_

_Hold your breath, it gets better"_

Their voices fit together with the perfect melody. They took turns with each line like it was all preplanned. There was no competition, no struggle to control, no anything of the sort. The dancing was taken into the streets as the danced continued. The waltzing picked up speed as Chad's and Taylor's voices joined together.

_"I'm like a shooting star,_

_I've come so far"_

Taylor took the lead of the song and Chad's voice overlapped hers once more.

_I can't go back to where I used to be_

_(A whole new world)_

_A whole new world"_

Now it was Chad's turn to control the song as Taylor's blended into the background.

_"With new horizons to pursue_"

They broke apart from their dancing, attending opposite sides of the street. Chad wrapped his arm around one street pole and extended his arm out towards Taylor. Parallel to Chad's lamppost, there was Taylor circling another one until her side rested against it and her hands grasped its circular structure.

_"I'll chase them anywhere_

_There's time to spare_

_Let me share this whole new world with you"_

They met up once again in the middle of the street. Chad began leading her up the pathway, only a few lampposts ahead taking her in his arms again and twirling her. He lifted Taylor off of her feet and her body wrapped around his as they continued to share the dance

"You really are somethin else, Kes." Chad stated as he spun her around before letting her down.

"You should talk, Chad." she replied. "You do know how to surprise a girl."

"And here I thought you were gonna charge me for kidnapping." he teased as he bent over and held his arms out so she could slide across his back, her back brushing up against his.

"Take me any further and I just might." Taylor couldn't help but smile.

"You asked for it." Chad chuckled. He led her away from the street lights and suburban houses and to a secluded area of a nearby children's park. Trees surrounded the area and it appeared by an area in which scavenger hunts would be a perfect place to be held. The only light was coming from the moonlit night and the street lamps in the distance. Chad smiled as he grabbed Taylor by the waist and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around above him.

Taylor replied with a smile and a giggle, surprised to even be enjoying herself with Chad. The song was now embedded in her mind and she let the music overcome her once more.

_"Oh, a whole new world_

_(A whole new world)_

_A new fantastic point of view_

_No one to tell us no_

_Or where to go"_

Taylor was let down and the pair danced across the dirt path. Chad took one of Taylor's hands in his and put his arm around her waist. Taylor's hand slipped into his and rested the other one onto his shoulder. She spun apart from Chad, still holding onto one of his hands, and he pulled her back in. She went under his arm once, then back under as they resumed their original positions, each taking turns with their voices being the one in command.

_"Or say we're only dreaming_

_(A whole new world)_

_Every turn a surprise_

_With new horizons to pursue (Every moment gets better)"_

The pace of the dance sped up once again and their voices belnded together, only to be followed by their separation, from Taylor to Chad.

_"I'll chase them anywhere, there's time to spare_

_Anywhere_

_Oh there's time to spare_

_Let me share_

_This whole new world with you_

_With you"_

As their voices lost volume and gracefully softened, the waltz slowed down and Chad and Taylor were now equal distance apart from each other. Their left hands connected as they walked to the tune, eyes locking in the process. Chad's free hand slowly slipped onto her shoulder and while Taylor only momentarily tried to keep hers at her side it ended up against Chad's neck.

_"A whole new world_

_A whole new world_

_That's where we'll be_

_Where we will be_

_A thrilling chase_

_A wondrous place"_

Their faces became closer as their bodies nearly touched. They continued moving in circles around each other as they just had, their pace becoming even slower and and their bodies touching as though it were a perfect fit. Their fingers intertwined one final time and while they seemed to speak with their eyes, the two let their voices join together one last time in perfect harmony.

_"For you and me"_

The music vanished from their minds and they rested their foreheads against each other. Silence overcame the two as they stood beneath the trees, another crisp wind blowing past them. Chad took the opportunity to move the strands of hair being blown away from Taylor's face until his hand rested on her back. That's when he began leaning in and placed a kiss on her lips.

And somehow, Taylor felt obligated to return the motion. She kissed back and her hand went around his neck. Somehow this was not the same Chad Danforth she had often heard about, the same one who she saw once in a while around town. This was a totally different guy. Perhaps it was the song talking, but Taylor knew she wasn't imagining a thing.

Their hands slowly broke apart and Chad used her arm as a guide towards her body, where he wrapped his arm around as soon as he felt her. Taylor briefly grasped the back of his hand with hers and followed his movements until he had pulled her in closer; her hand slid down his arm and finally took its rest on its side. The pair pulled apart, only to lock gazes once again. The moment seemed nice and quite peaceful, but Chad wouldn't have it last. A smile spread on his face as he looked at her with the same bad boy look he gave to every girl, yet with a kinder almost more loving look.

"You know, I only sing to girls who I date." he stated.

Taylor should have known he would pull this. She was a mice and had taken the cheese. Now her tail was caught in the trap and there was no escape. But did she show any fear?

"And how do I know you won't go all bad boy on me?" she inquired simply, yet appearing to return a similar look to his. "Suppose I couldn't be with someone like you? That you would turn on me one day."

Quite the contrary, she couldn't say no now. With Chad's reputation, he would make sure of it. And despite Taylor's better judgment, or her previous assumptions, perhaps she had no intention of turning him down. Even now, the possible reaction of her parents in such a situation was clearly the last thing on her mind. She was leading him into a mouse trap of her own.

"You underestimate me, Taylor." was his just as simple response, calling not just her, buy any girl by her first name for the first time. "Maybe all I needed was just a whole new world."

And he had taken the bait. Taylor smiled at the thought.

"And maybe I needed one all the same."

One dance, one song, one night with their polar opposite was all it took. Taylor was done playing it safe and she was done being the 'perfect', as her parents often called her, good girl she always was. She had taken a risk and she enjoyed it. All it took was the right guy. And right now that guy was pulling off his leather jacket and tossing it off to the side.

A whole new world was exactly what they both needed.

_

* * *

_Well that took a while. I kept debating whether it should be the same as most of them like with the song in the background or if they should actually sing. You know how that ended up now, huh? xD Ok, any other important thing I have to say? Um...actually I can't really think of anything. So, you know where this song was from, and you know it was the longer version. Lyrics from Jessica Simpson's and Nick Lachay's version was used but I think it's the same for the other version too (I do not remember who sang it, but I think the song was in the ending credits of the movie with the same lyrics and similar music or something). Anyway, you get the point. So if you're all still enjoying these oneshots, I'll be sure to add some more soon!_  
_


	22. Rags and Riches

I feel so bad. I didn't thank anyone for reviews lately. T_T I should really do that soon. Just one question, is it school that's making everyone crazy? I'm just wondering that now. Anyway, this is the next chapter. I figured with the bonus chapter now, I can do both versions of Two Worlds. ^^ So, hope this chapter goes over as well as the last one did. So I promise that next chapter, I will say thanks for reviews.  
I do not own HSM or the characters, nor do I own anything of Tarzan except for the soundtrack and the movie.

* * *

**Put your faith in what you most believe in**

**Two worlds, one family**

**Trust your heart**

**Let fate decide**

**To guide these lives we see**

Every once in a while Chad Danforth would wander into the richer end of New Mexico. He would stand at the corner and admire everything. The houses were so tall and clean, the yards were twice the size of any other house, half of the area was covered in fences, and everything looked so clean. It was so different from where he was used to living, where he had been his whole life.

To him, his own home was pathetic. It was supposed to be a place that he'd be happy to go to after school. A place where he could just kick back and relax. But what did he do there? Just try and keep everything in order and work to actually keep everything. His father did absolutely nothing, and that's what killed Chad. As far as he was concerned, he was at the bottom of the social chain. Everything was so cramped and his so called home only consisted of a living room, bathroom, and bedroom. All equally as small. The kitchen was attached to the living room and space was limited. The yards were as dirty as they came, no grass or gardens in sight. And it didn't exactly help to live near some kind of garbage disposal either. It all crept Chad out.

But these people...look at all the more they had. They had money. They had fancy houses. They had so much expensive stuff. They had the latest things like technology. They had money. It must have been so nice to go home to that every day. To sit on an L-shaped couch and sit back watching an on-demand movie on a flat screen, wide screen TV with surround sound and everything. And to eat in a real kitchen with a real family, with so much more food and to eat the biggest turkey on Thanksgiving instead of the smallest most rejected leg of a much nicer it must have been.

Chad began walking down the street glancing at each house as he always did. But as usual there was always one house that stood out above the rest. It wasn't the biggest house around nor the smallest compared to the rest but it still lived up to standards. And there was something special about that house.

Chad cautiously walked over to the McKessie residence and pepped in through the window. He had seen her around so many times. She was the one that always caught his eye. And oddly enough, it wasn't the money that made her attractive. Maybe it was her body, how her curves were all in the right place and to seem so petite yet so perfect. Maybe it was her hair and how straight and oft it looked glistening under her chandelier lights. Maybe it was the delicacy of everything, how she held anything that her fingers touched or how words seemed to escape her soft luscious lips. Or maybe it was her eyes which seemed to be so vibrant for just simple pools of a shade of brown. Chad wanted so much to go up to her and just talk to her, to stop watching her and actually make his move. But he could never do that. What would a girl like her see in a guy like him? Sure, he knew he had plenty of decent qualities. But when one so rich looked at someone so lacking in the money department, no good thoughts could possibly roam their minds. As far as Chad knew, all he could do with her was to smile as she walked by and perhaps give a wave should his existence be acknowledged.

**A paradise untouched by man**

**Within this world blessed with love**

**A simple life, they live in peace**

She didn't know why, but somehow Taylor McKessie always found herself roaming away from home. She would briefly watch in the distance all the simple things that went on in such a different environment before slowly moving in to get a better look. Things always looked so different there. There was no competition to see who could own more land. There were no weeds to bother pulling out because none would ever grow there. It was so different there from her own home that Taylor found it intriguing.

As far as she was considered, her home never felt like a home. A home was supposed to be surrounded with people who cared for each other and who spent time together. In her home, her parents were never around. Her sister was the spoiled one, always getting her way, and all Taylor would do was sit back and watch the drama. No one knew anybody in that...that...that building. There were no family portraits, there was no family time, and at times it didn't even feel like there was a family in the house. All that space in one living area and yet so much of it was empty. Sure there were games, video games, electronics, bookshelves, paintings, desks, offices, etc, but five people could fit into the smallest room there and even then there would still be space left over. Everything always had to look in such a precise order that every time anyone that wasn't "family" would walk into the house everything would seem perfect, like there wasn't a thing wrong. There couldn't be a crumb on the floor and not one picture could be crooked in the tiniest bit. While Taylor was the organized individual, she liked to break out of it once in a while. Instead of putting everything in order by color, title, fabric, etc, she would just put it wherever she desired. Maybe once in a while it'd be nice to leave a couple of shirts laying on the floor of her bedroom. And the thought of living in an area where everyone acted the same, stuck-up, snobbish, and egotistical, it made Taylor sick to her stomach.

But those people...look how much happier they were. There was so much less to worry about. Sure, there wasn't much space and there seemed to be a lack of luxuries, but those things weren't vital. Families had each other and they actually spent time together. Everyone knew each other and was on friendlier terms. So what if everyone was cramped? At least when it got colder everyone had a reason to cuddle even closer to each other and work off the warmth from each family member. It was a way to appreciate the simpler things in life, a way to show people that they could be happy for what they had. They had so much more than they realized and Taylor envied them for that.

As she cautiously stepped through the dirt grounds, she always ended up in front of the same trailer. The mailbox in it read 'Danforths', but every week it seemed more and ore distorted. And yet for such an unkempt inside, there was so much more reason to be content. Perhaps it was the messiest of the trailers, and perhaps on the outside there was nothing extraordinary about it. But to Taylor there was something worth of great value in there.

As her brown pupils stared into the small circular window her eyes would fall on the same person every time. It was the one that stood about above all others no matter where she would go. Somehow her gaze would always find a way to him. But even through the dirtiest or most ripped clothes she could see so much more about him than anyone else could. She could determine everything about him from just one look, not speaking a syllable. But what attracted her to the boy, Taylor was unsure. It could have been his body, how strong and rugged he looked through everything he wore. It could have been his smile, which seemed so caring and inviting every time she would see it play across his lips. It could have been his hair, those tight curls locked around his head and swaying in the breeze, and how hot it made him look when it was tied back so his whole face could be revealed. Or it could have even been his eyes, such an everyday pair of brown eyes that held so much more in them than Taylor had ever seen. Whatever the reason, Taylor knew that there was no hope. Her heart skipped a beat every time she took notice of him walking by and she could feel the heat rise to her cheeks whenever she caught him waving at her. How he knew about her or how he could act so calm around her, Taylor would never know. But as to what she did know Taylor knew this: there would be no hope of them ever getting together.

**Softly tread the sand below your feet now**

**Two worlds, one family**

**Trust your heart**

**Let fate decide**

**To guide these lives we see**

There was a time when Chad did catch Taylor by herself. She was at the park doing nothing but sitting on a swing. She seemed so calm and serene. And with her lifestyle, Chad couldn't blame her. There was just such a relaxing vibe around her that Chad couldn't help but smile. And he could swear he saw the same smile play on her lips. He took a chance and made his way over, trying to appear as laid back as she was.

"Whatchya doin?"

Taylor picked up her head only to let her eyes fall on Chad. As much as her smile could have grown involuntarily, she forced it to remain the way it was. Why on Earth had he come over to her of all girls? But Taylor couldn't complain; perhaps it was a sign, like fate led him to her. And for the first time she actually heard words escape him, as street smart as they sounded, she couldn't imagine softer words.

"Sitting. Swinging." she answered simply with a smile, almost shyly. "And you?"

Chad shrugged his shoulders. "Walkin. Thinkin."

"Do you often journey through the park alone?" Taylor inquired.

She sounded so classy and sophisticated but Chad could hear the warmth of her words. She was nothing like the rest of her social class, Chad could tell that much. And no fancy British accent like he thought there would be either. "When I got nothin better to do." Was his response. "Do you always just sit on swings watchin people?"

"Sometimes." she admitted. "I like it. It's quaint."

"Ever actually walk through the park?" Chad asked.

"Alone or, with a soul mate?" she politely tilted her head.

"Either way." Chad answered. He had never seen her alone nor in the park itself. To think what it must be like to walk side by side with her, hand in hand.

"Neither." she shook her head. "My parents don't often let me wander too far from home without an escort."

Chad smiled and offered his hand out to her. "Would you like a person escort?"

Taylor blinked momentarily, though the smile on her face showed her thoughts otherwise. To be pulled into his arms, to feel his hand firmly yet gently grasp hers...Taylor could only imagine what a sensation that must put through her body. Until now. "It would be my pleasure." she answered, placing her hand in his.

**Beneath the shelter of the trees**

**Only love can enter here**

**A simple life, they live in peace**

Surely that would not be their last meeting. The two have found occasions where they could end up together. The next encounter would be when Taylor spotted Chad. He was alone in the trailer park putting something together. Wood lay all around the ground and there were boxes of nails on stools surrounding him. A hammer was in his hand and he appeared to be building something. Taylor couldn't help but admire him at first, just wanting to watch him work and sweat before making her way over. She felt weak in the knees as he removed his shirt. The afternoon was breezy but he was heated up from all his work.

"What are you building?" she wondered, finally stepping over.

Chad hammered the current nail, connecting two pieces of the wood on the table, before picking his head up and looking at Taylor. He smiled and moved a couple of loose bangs from his face, the remainder of which were tied back. He smiled as he saw Taylor, whom he considered to be the highlight of his day. He no longer had to watch her from a distance but rather had the chance to speak with her face to face any chance they got.

"Birdhouse." he answered. "You know they're gonna start flockin back in for the warmer weather."

Taylor giggled. "It's never that cold here, Chad."

There she goes showing off her smarts. Some people would find it annoying, but Chad found it rather...well, spicy. "You never know, Tay. But when they do start comin in round here, they're gonna be fightin over this baby."

Taylor smiled and tilted her head, eying the unfinished wooden birdhouse. It must have been so nice to have the time to work on something like that, to want to work for something and make it for the greater good. Taylor's family was only interested in doing something if it involved money. That's what Taylor liked about Chad; he had a rare yet noble side to him.

"They're going to adore it." she said loyally. "It must be nice to do something for others."

"Somebody have a selfish side to them?" Chad asked.

"I try not to." she admitted. "But my parents encourage me to only do what it takes to get ahead. They don't wish to see me get left behind somehow. Everything is set in stone. They have figured out my life for me and I don't want to be a part of it."

"How come?" he raised an eyebrow. "It looks to me like you could have anythin you wanted."

"No, I couldn't." Taylor shook her head and faced him. "You have something that no one in my family has, Chad. And that's freedom. Freedom to make your own choices. Freedom to come and go as you please. Freedom to be whoever you want, let people who are supposed to love you make you into something you don't wish to be."

"It's not like that round here, Tay." Chad replied. "We gotta work to keep what we got, bring in any kinda money we can. Anythin we wanna get in our lives and make better we gotta work for, earn it. You don't gotta go through anythin like that. It's all handed to you on a silver platter. Sounds way better than just workin for a livin and nothin to live for."

"You have everything to work for." Taylor said simply.

"And you have everythin you could ever want or need." Chad stated.

The two exchanged glances, numerous thoughts roaming through their heads. They were trying to understand each other, to see the others' point of view. But from where they were standing it was just so hard. There was no possibly way one could know of the challenges the other went through every day or what would make the other one truly happy. The one thing hey were able to figure out was that they were from two different worlds that they both needed to explore.

Chad smiled as he took a long look at Taylor. "Wanna help me finish the birdhouse?"

Taylor cupped her hands behind her back and seemed so innocent, yet she gave her answer right off the bat. "My pleasure."

"On the contrary," Chad replied, picking up on her speech rather quickly, "the pleasure would be all mine."

**Raise your head up**

**Lift high the load**

**Take strength from those that need you**

**Build high the walls**

**Build strong the beams**

**A new life is waiting**

**But danger's no stranger here**

They took turns meeting up with each other at their own conveniences. They would never plan ahead, it was all done on impulse. And somehow Chad knew exactly when he had to see Taylor. Luckily the driveway was empty so she was the only one home. Chad had only stepped into her house once, but he had to leave in a hurry that day, as Taylor's parents returned home earlier than expected. He later realized that it didn't matter whether he stayed or not; her parents would pay no attention. Chad was starting to figure out how Taylor could see the lack of a home when clearly she was living in one. But this time Chad didn't even need to walk inside; he could see her in the backyard, sitting under a tee alone. She seemed depressed, Chad could tell by the look in her eyes.

"What's a matter?" he asked as he stepped over.

Taylor's head shot up to him, revealing bloodshot eyes. A small gasp escaped her, or maybe it was a sniff. "Chad, you're here..." seemed to be all that she could let out.

"What happened?" Chad asked, sitting beside her.

Taylor looked at the ground before picking her head back up to look at Chad. Her expression was as clear as day: sadness, hurt, angst, and heartbreak. "My parents have been setting me up with another guy. And now they're talkin about getting us hitched." Like Chad had picked up on parts of Taylor's speech, Taylor had done the same with Chad. It was their voices blended together merely with one overpowering the other.

Chad blinked, angst beginning to fill his own eyes. "What?" he gasped. "But...But I was gonna...they can't make you..."

Taylor shook her head. "They are. There's no stoppin them, Chad. They only care about makin more money for themselves."

"But then what's important to you? What about your feelings?" Chad asked.

"Apparently they mean nothing." she shook her head again. "I've seen the guy. He cares for money just as much as my folks. It's only for them to benefit each other."

"Tay..." Chad hesitated, not sure how to explain himself. "We were gonna move outta our places when we turned eighteen. We were gonna...I mean I was gonna ask you to..."

He was cut off by Taylor's lips on his. It was something he didn't expect. It was sweet yet forceful. She pulled away even before he could think about kissing her back.

"Believe me Chad, nothing would make me happier." she said softly. "But come my eighteenth birthday the wedding bells go off. Sixty-three days."

"Two months?" Chad repeated. "But you can't-"

"My folks won't have it any other way." Taylor sighed. "I'm sorry." She got up and began heading into her house until Chad's hand grasped her wrist. She turned back to face him and Chad stood up, standing only inches in front of her.

"I'm gonna find a way to be there, Tay. I'm gonna find a way to get there and stop it from happenin." he said firmly. "I dunno how yet, but I will. I'll figure somethin out."

"But can you really do that? Just stand there watchin me get married off to some other guy?" she asked.

"No." he admitted shaking his head. "But I'll find a way to stop it. And you'll never have to see him again."

"And then what?" she asked, looking at him in the eyes.

"And then we're gonna do this." Chad decided. He pulled her in closer and kissed her deeply. It was rough yet passionate. But unlike the peck from Taylor, Chad wasn't going to pull away so quickly. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his around her waist. They remained embraced in each other, not willing to let go so easily. Chad could hear her moaning yet somehow he could interpret exactly what she was trying to say without breaking away. Not wasting another moment, they pulled each other into the house and into Taylor's room, which luckily for them was on the first floor. It was their one way to assure each other that everything was going to be alright.

**No words describe a mother's tears**

**No words can heal a broken heart**

**A dream is gone, but where there's hope**

Taylor could see Chad waiting outside his trailer for her. She took a deep breath and walked over. Both of them knew it would be their last night together. Taylor had no idea of Chad's plan and she wasn't fully sure if she wanted to know what it was. The one thing she was sure of is that she knew who she wanted. She was done with the fortune, the money, the snobs, everything. And she knew fully well that Chad was finished with living in his own world. He could move out now if he wanted but front their previous conversations, Chad had insisted on staying where he was until things with Taylor's future were settled.

As soon as Chad saw Taylor he opened up his arms and welcome here. "You know we won't get much privacy here."

"I'm willing to take that risk." Taylor replied, walking into his arms and resting her head onto his shoulder. She could already feel his locks brushing up against her face.

Chad wrapped his arms around her, comforting her. "Five days. That's all we gotta wait for. I'm gonna be right there."

"My parents are gonna flip when they see you there." Taylor said, trying to force out a giggle at the thought.

"Well they're gonna have to deal with me." Chad decided. "Because I've got the perfect plan and I'm not throwing it out the window now."

Taylor just sighed and nuzzled into his neck. "Can you give me my present now?" she asked.

"Believe me," Chad promised, "you're gonna get it soon."

**Somewhere something is calling for you**

**Two worlds, one family**

**Trust your heart**

**Let fate decide**

**To guide these lives we see**

The chapel, of course, was quite expensive. Nearly everything was in white, if not black, such as the tuxedos on some men. things appeared truly extravagant, at least to the untrained eye. To them it was nothing but simplicity and a few investments. To Chad's eye, it was all for a greater good. Things were not going to turn out the way everyone in there planned. And he was planning to get to his point as soon as he could. Of course, no one would approve of him, he knew that. But he didn't care and he hoped that Taylor didn't either. He looked his best, his hair tied back and in the nicest outfit he could find. Yet it was nothing compared to everything else. And Taylor was a beauty to behold; he hoped that after all was said and done she would keep the gown.

As the ceremony started, Chad twitched in his seat. His hand tapped rapidly against his knee and he looked aggravated. Why these people put Taylor and him through this, he'd never know. But apparently this odd arranged marriage or whatever it was called was a family tradition and not made to be broken. Too bad that was all about to change. All Chad had to do was sit through the vows before the minister could look around the chapel.

"If anyone has a reason these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace." he announced.

And that was Chad's cue. Not waiting another second, he rose from his seat. Taylor sighed with relief, knowing the movement in a seat she heard was Chad. It was only a matter of time now. All she wanted was to get out of there. Whether a scene would be made or not, she didn't care. Anything was better than the torture she had gone through.

"I object." Chad announced. It wasn't a courthouse, but it got everyone's attention. And Chad, growing up where he had, showed no fear. But now he had to do something he had never done: speak from his heart. Taylor had already gone past her boundaries by breaking rules and actually going to see Chad when her parents were around, knowing they would never approve. So now Chad had to step out of his comfort zone and show how she impacted him as he did her.

"Taylor can't marry that guy." he continued. "Cause they don't love each other."

The chapel filled with gasps and an older woman rose sternly. "Young man, take your seat now." she ordered. "This is not for you to decide."

"I think it is." Chad said. "Cause I'm not lettin this go any further. And I'm not gonna sit back and let Taylor get hitched to this guy. And you know why? Cause he's not the one who loves her. I am."

Even more gasps. Their thoughts were obvious: a low-life and a commoner like him confessing that to a rich daughter? Actually assuming he had a chance? Taylor seemed to be the only one who could have seen that coming. She smiled widely and faced Chad.

Chad saw that as his opportunity to step forward. He took Taylor's hand in his, much to the dismay of her relatives. "I told you I was gonna come, Tay. I promised we'd get outta this together and we are. I may be taking this line from the Flintstones movie, but I'm only tellin you how I feel, Tay." he took a deep breath before he continued, saying it exactly as he heard it. "Taylor, I can't give you diamonds or fast cars or fancy houses. All I can give you is plain old Chad from New Mexico. And all the love in my heart. And I really hope that's enough."

Taylor smiled widely and picked up her head, grateful for their first meeting and that she had met Chad. She could see him kneeling down and knew exactly where this was going. Taylor braced herself and bit her tongue to keep her ground. But her eyes showed every other emotion. And the one thing that Chad could understand from looking at them was that he was giving her more than enough.

"Taylor.... Will you marry me?" he finally asked.

Yes, even more gasps. It felt as though the room would pass out if Chad would open up his mouth again. But he didn't care. All he cared about was Taylor and getting her out of there, even marrying her that moment if he had to.

And despite the looks Taylor could feel on her, and the thoughts she knew her family was thinking, she didn't hesitate to exclaim her answer. "Yes!"

The older woman fainted at Taylor's response and Chad pulled Taylor into a tight hug followed by a passionate kiss. And as soon as they pulled away, Chad pulled out the ring from his shirt pocket. Its quality was cheap and there wasn't a single stone out of it, nor was it even made out of fake gold. It was as plain and inexpensive as they came, as it was the best Chad could afford. Taylor let him slip the ring onto her finger before pulling him into another passionate kiss, knowing nothing could break them apart now.

"So..." the minister asked as he watched the scene with much confusion, "does this mean no one's getting married today?"

**Every moment now the bond grows stronger**

**Two worlds, one family**

**Trust your heart**

**Let fate decide**

**To guide these lives we see  
**

* * *

And there we have it. Just thought that last line with the confused minister would add some humor. Not sure if it went over well though. xD And the last portion of the song, that's actually from the reprise. It seemed like a good addition to the song and would give a reason for a few extra lines. =P So I hope this was enjoyable and I promise I am going to shut up and practically stop talking come next chapter. Oh wait...can't have you leaving with 's my manners? Good night, good-bye, and happy...whatever day you are reading this on! Or happy holiday. Whichever it turns out to be!


	23. Memories

I must apologize once again for not updating practically every day. However, I do end school in May, so hopefully during hte summer I'll be able to update more. as far as I know, I've got no more breaks or days off this semester. And fair warning, next semester I'll have even less time to update cause I'll have a good eight hours of school two days a week. So now, let's get down to the important stuff so I can shut up. This next song is from the movie Anastasia. Now I'm aware that it is not Disney, but for some reason, from everything I've looked up about Disney lyrics, the movie's associated with Disney. So, even though this song is non-Disney, consider it a special bonus story (without being called a bonus chapter, you know?). So, here's hoping you enjoy it all the same!  
Once again, I do not own anything. Not HSM, not the song, not anything. Although I'm pretty sure I do have the movie and soundtrack for Anastasia somewhere in my house....

* * *

How could this happen? He was supposed to be watching her. She was his responsibility. Everything had been going just fine until...well, it wasn't pretty. But with one even minor accident everything can change. And it had changed for the worst. Chad Danforth had always been in charge of keeping an eye on the princess Taylor McKessie. Though they were the same age, he was nothing more than pretty much a servant to her family. But it was no secret he had easily developed feelings for her. And there had actually been a point where he thought she would return those feelings back. But now there was no hope of that ever happening. Because the second Chad stepped into that room, he could see nothing but confusion in her brown eyes. He took a step back, hoping and begging that this was all a horrible nightmare. But that's the thing about nightmares; they don't always happen when you're asleep.

"Who are you?" That was the dreaded question that escaped her full lips. It was the question Chad didn't want to hear at all. But he had heard it. And he resented it.

"You...you don't recognize me?" he stammered. To him that was impossible. Everyone knew who he was...that's what his curly fro was for. Ok granted, it was tied back most of the time, but even then they still knew it was Chad. He'd have a big pom-pom attatched the the back of his head, as everyone called it.

"No, I don't." she shook her head. "I've never seen you before."

Chad gulped. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding. "Well...do you know who you are?"

She shook her head once more. "No."

Chad sighed and moved some loose bangs out of his face. This was impossible. Her family would kill him. No, that would be an understatement! First they would scold him, then maybe whip him or something, then fire him and kick him out of the palace with a rather large boot, have a buff security guard throw him out of the country, and then send out a search party to find him and kill him. So how was Chad supposed to bring Taylor home when she didn't know a single thing about herself?

"Do you know who I am?" she wondered.

That's what Chad loved about her. No matter what, Taylor never seemed to show any fear. Even now, supposedly talking to a complete stranger, she was looking to him for answers. She was trusting him when he could easily brainwash her into becoming the person that she wasn't. If Chad wanted, he could even convince her that they were dating. But as much as he wanted to, Chad knew he couldn't. He had a responsibility to her and to her family and he couldn't tear that down.

"You're Princess Taylor." he began explaining. "You're seventeen. Your parents run this country, and as soon as you find a prince you'll become the new queen here. You've always loved the idea, so you can make this place better for everyone to live. You believe in everything you stand for, so you don't listen to people as much as you should. But you at least hear them out. You're beautiful, sweet, independent, majestic..."

"That's nice of you to say," she interrupted, "but those kinds of things only happen in fairy tales."

"Well you're living your own fairy tale. You have been since the day you were born." Chad replied.

"So how do you know all this?" Taylor inquired. "Who are you?"

"My name's Chad. I work for your family. We're the same age, but they always have me watch over you." he answered.

"So you're a friend?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"And friend and a protector." he nodded. At least, he was supposed to be. But he didn't do such a good job of protecting Taylor if she lost her memory now, did he? At least that was his thought.

"So you can take me home? Tell me everything about me and show me everything?" she asked.

"Yeah." Chad replied. "You'll learn everything you'll need to know. We'll go home right away." He held out his hand to her, and Taylor didn't hesitate to take it.

_Dancing bears, painted wings_

_Things I almost remember_

_And a song someone sings_

_Once upon a December_

Taylor looked around the palace as she entered with Chad by her side. She took in her surroundings rather slowly, and stepped cautiously across the marbled floor. This was an awful lot to digust in one day, especially after supposedly losing a memory. But what other choice was there? Everything seemed to fit together. The butler had even addressed her as "your majesty". So Chad must be telling her the truth about everything. Within the interval of a half hour, Taylor had already learned the basics about herself. She was a princess, most likely in an arranged marriage, and was the only heir to her parents, Margaret and Theodore McKessie. They resided in a small country, one not too many people knew of, but were known for their politics and military strength. As for Taylor herself, she had brown eyes and was five foot two. Her favorite color was lavander and she usually liked to wear her hair down. She was an educated young woman and was very intelligent, not to mention stubborn. And she had never been out of their little country, but she was content with her surroundings and dreamed of visiting overseas to learn of the cultures and policies of their neighboring countries.

"Anything look familiar?" Chad's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Taylor took another look around the living quarters of the palace, which was a small entrance followed by a large living room type area. Numerous couches and cushoins covered the floor along with a plasma screen television, and there was a mini fridge stocked with drinks and snacks. About three maids resided in the room, dusting and sweeping, and the butler occasionally walked by, though Taylor could have sworn he was checking out one of the maids. When she did retrieve all her memories she would have to remember to set them up. She returned to looking around, for anything familiar at all.

"No." she shook her head a moment later. "I'm sorry. I don't recognize anything."

"How about I take you up to your room then?" Chad suggested. "If you want, I can just wait outside the door..."

"No, it's fine." Taylor replied. Something inside her said that she could trust Chad, and she knew that she needed a friend now. It didn't even occur to her that maybe at some point Chad could even be something more.

Chad nodded and escorted the black beauty upstairs through the long spiral staircase. The second story hall was long and wide, and there seemed to be more rooms than needed. A few were small and most were big. The small rooms couldn't possibly be for all the workers in the palace, could they?

"Which room is yours?" she wondered.

"It's at the end of the hall. And your parents' room is upstairs along with rooms for meetings and military strategies." Chad answered. "If we go to my room, we'd pass by yours."

"I wouldn't mind seeing it." Taylor said.

Chad only gave a nod and led her to the end of the hall. He didn't seem to be saying much, and Taylor could only wonder why. Maybe he was caught off guard by her not even having her memory. Maybe he wasn't even interested in helping her like he said he was. Whatever the case, Chad was quiet. And he just didn't seem like the kind of guy who was quiet easily. And then they got to his room. Taylor was amazed at how small it was. It was so unfair. How could he live in a room that was about six foot by nine foot (estimated measurement of course) when hers was probably five times bigger? Taylor's suspisions were only confirmed when he brought her to her bedroom. It was so large. A canopy bed that could probably fit three people, a fireplace, two couches, a balcony, five chairs, a bright purple rug covering the majority of the floor...surely this all had to be a dream. She could feel her chest moving up and down so rapidly, like she couldn't breathe. Taylor clutched her chest, feeling herself ready to lose her balance. She knew she was going to fall over. Chad had mentioned to her that there have been a few occasions where she had gone into enough shock to start hyperventilating. Taylor knew that's what she was doing right now. And who could blame her, after finding out so much in under one hour? Just when she was sure she was going to fall over, Taylor felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her, keeping her up. Still hyperventilating, Taylor liftened her head only slightly to see Chad directly behind her. His chest was up against her back and his arms were wrapped tight around her.

And right then and there, she felt herself slowly calming down. Like there was nothing to worry about.

_Someone holds me safe and warm_

_Horses prance through a silver storm_

_Figures dancing gracefully_

_Across my memory_

Taylor was out cold. Chad had no clue what to do. All he could do was keep a damp cloth on her head and sit beside her as she rested in bed. He gently caressed her hand as he watched her, hoping that as she slept everything was getting better. That her memory would come back soon.

But Taylor was the one who was ultimately confused. She was trying to follow her dreams and see what they were trying to tell her. But all she could see were fragments. Horse racing, the equestrian training assisting her greatly in fast reflexes and numerous skills in handeling animals. But who was teaching her, who was beside her, and everything in between she couldn't see. She couldn't see her age or any family around, not even what type of horse or its color that she was riding. She could see herself ballroom dancing in a fancy gown with her hair tied up in a gorgeous bun. She saw she was dancing with a guy, perhaps a man. But who was it? Someone from a supposed arrange marriage? A relative? Her father? Music from artists such as Beethoven and Bach played in the background and Taylor handled herself on the dance floor marvelously. These were merely pieces of her memory, things that happened on so many occasions or during daily activities perhaps it was that much easier to remember. But it was the little details that she just couldn't put her finger on. The people, the time, the place...things like that.

Taylor could see herself all throughout the palace, but every time she seemed to be alone. The maids and butlers would pass by once in a while, but her parents never seemed to be around. There were few people in the palace who were even close to her age, but they were forbidden to hang out with Taylor or do anything with her except serve her. They were dressed in casual tuxedos or even sometimes rags while she was always dressed most elegantly. It began to occur to Taylor, even in unconciousness, that the only person she could be with that was her age in the entire palace was Chad. And like all the others, all he was doing was serving her. But Chad always seemed so kind to her. Even if he was just told to keep watch on her or to be with her, he was always there with her. Why did he never seem to have a problem with it? Something just didn't seem to add up.

_Someone holds me safe and warm_

_Horses prance through a silver storm_

_Figure dancing gracefully_

_Across my memory_

Chad blinked as Taylor's eyes began to flutter. "Taylor?" he asked. "Tay are you ok?" His eyes were full of worry and concern as he gripped her hand even tighter. Was she awake? Did she remember anything? about herself? About her family? Chad didn't even care if he technically wasn't supposed to call her anything short of "Your majesty" or "princess". He was too worried for her. Only when they were out of and away from the palace would he call her Taylor. There had been times where he had even called her Tay, a nickname of endearment. But she had never seemed to catch on. Whether that was good or bad, Chad never seemed to know. She was supposed to marry a prince, so she couldn't have Chad looking at her googly-eyed or calling her pet names, especially when he was lower than her. But if she didn't want to be in an arranged marriage then maybe Chad's name for her wasn't so bad. It was all a matter of opinions, what was right and what was wrong. Chad knew his feelings for her were wrong; but that didn't mean that he could ignore them or deny them. He knew he loved her, and not as a sevant should love their master. It was real love.

But those feelings were what Chad had to push to the back. He had to be concerned with Taylor remembering who she was and what she was meant to do. So all he could do was hope that everything would turn alright in the end.

"Ch-Chad?" she stammered quietly, seeming to wake up.

Chad's eyes widened as he saw her move a little. "Taylor? Taylor are you ok?" he asked right away.

But as quickly as she seemed to speak, there was no response. She fell out cold again. Chad's face fell and he began gently rubbing her hand once more. But he knew she had to wake up. So he did the only thing he could think of. Every time he became worried about Taylor or even thought about her he would start singing. It was always in private and to himself, but it seemed to relax him. And it was the same thing every time. He would hope and plead that one day they could be together, and that maybe, just maybe, she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. He would dream of those moments as he sang.

"Here this song and remember," he sang softy, "soon you'll be home with me, once upon a December..."

And slowly but surely, whether Chad knew it or not, she began awaking once more.

_Far away, long ago_

_Glowing dim as an ember_

_Things my heart used to know_

_Things it yearns to remember_

"I know that song." she whispered.

Chad blinked and looked at her. Her eyes were open and she was awake now. Her voice was quiet, but she was awake. Heat rushed to Chad's cheeks. "Wha--what are you talking about?" he stuttered.

"That song. I've heard you sing it before." Taylor responded. "You would always sing it. I remember..." She seemed to squint as she looked up at the ceiling, as though she were trying to remember everything down to the last detail. "I remember walking by your room sometimes, when you weren't with me. Becuse I was alone and I didn't want to be. I'd lean up against your door and hear you sing. Just like that. It was always that song."

"But how did you...?" Chad asked.

"I knew. It was about me, wasn't it?" she replied.

Chad paused. Was it all coming back to her? Was she remembering even the tiniest thing on her own?

"When I wasn't around you would sing that song. You'd want to be with me too, wouldn't you?" she asked. "You didn't want to be alone either."

Chad looked away. Ironic that at the one time Taylor couldn't seem to remember anything, she had him all figured out. "I always wanted to be with you. And not just with you, but _with you_." He admitted. "But there's that rule. I'm only supposed to watch over you, look after you. I can't be with you like that. We can't be together. But that didn't stop me from hoping we could be. But you can't be with...with a protector. You need to be with a prince so you can rule the country together."

"There's just one problem with that." Taylor said, regaining her voice as she slowly sat up. Her eyes fell on Chad and she pulled her knees into her cehst, wrapping her arms around her. She was creating a wall around herself, so if she was wrong she couldn't be torn down. "A prince can't always make someone feel protected. They're just there to help a princess be in control. He's the one who runs everything, isn't he? My opinions don't matter. I'm just there to provide him with an heir."

Chad just shook his head. "I don't know, Tay." he admitted. "Maybe. But I'm not allowed to know any of that. Ever since we were nine all I knew was that I had to watch over you, be with you, protect you. It was always my job to make sure that no harm came to you. So what else was I supposed to do?"

Taylor just shook her head and looked at him. She sat down at the edge of her bed, putting her legs down as though she were lifting that wall she built to let him in. She placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke in a sweet, soft voice. "Nothing else. You've done everything, Chad."

_And a song someone sings_

Chad's head shot up and he looked at Taylor. He could tell this much, she was sincere. He had never seen this side to her before. It had to mean something. Was it all just a way for her to regain all of her memories, or was she really trying to tell him something?

"Do you remember anything now?" he wondered.

Taylor nodded. "Yeah. I do." she answered. "I remember us playing together in the garden. I remember learning to ride horses and become skilled in different aspects. In this lifestyle, with politics, with social events...there was dancing. There was music and fancy gowns. You were always there to tell me how perfect I looked and how ready I was for anything. But I was always so caught up in my future, of thinking I could actually run this country, that I never once thought about you when all that time you thought about me even when you didn't have to."

"So what are you saying?" Chad asked. "All your memories are of me?"

"you were there more than my parents, weren't you?" she replied. "You were always the one who was helping me. You acted like my older brother. And I looked to you like you were one. But that's the problem Chad. You're not my older brother and you're not my friend."

Chad's face fell again. So that was it then. He knew it all along. He was nothing to her. He was just there as her servant. Someone who could be replaced. He didn't want to hear anymore. Chad wanted to get out of there and make a run for it, to lock himself into his room and stay in there. But he still knew he had his obligations. He wasn't allowed to leave Taylor unless he was dismissed or, only in a deathly emergency, if he had to use the bathroom. And even then she would have to go with him and wait outside, and the door would have to open a crack so Chad could still see her and know she was safe. It was so wrong, but true. Therefore, no matter how much he wanted to get out of there and be alone, he knew he couldn't. And if taylor had anymore to say he had to hear her out.

"So then what am I?" he finally willed himself to ask.

And that's when it happened. Taylor captured his lips in hers with a simple kiss and the answer was right there. She looked him in the eyes and told him exactly what she was feeling. "My lover." she answered.

And a smile came across Chad's face. Maybe it was some horrible twist of fate, or maybe it was one of those times when a bad situation miraculously turned good. But whatever the reason, Chad was happy. No matter how wrong it was, he just knew that nothing could stop them now. And as soon as he saw Taylor smiled back, he knew it was his turn to kiss her.

One problem down, one to go.

_Once upon a December_

* * *

Like I said, a non-Disney song, but I've had an idea like this for a while. So that's why it has been finally put down here. I actually came up with another idea for the song "A Whole New World" but there wouldn't be much of a story to it...and I've already used the versions here so I can't use it again. That would just get all repetitive, wouldn't it? 0-0 Anyway, this was typed during my long break during school today so what better time to get an idea down? As far as my other stories go, I will try and update them soon. That goes for this one too, and it's just a matter of the right song and a story to go with the song. xD


	24. Who Am I?

Ok finally here is the next chapter! It's a piece of cake to do during a break at school and save all the homework from home, which I still have a lot of to finish. Dx Anyway first thing's first, I have to say thank you to all the reviews. I'm sorry I just kept forgetting to do that. T_T Ok, so thank you to ChaylorTwilightQueen10, Digigirl02, Always-Here-Imani, AllyxoCorbin, Xo-kween-dilemma-xo, Caligymnast2006, JadedXelement, Iheartchad andtaylor, MermaidRam85, Cornique chaylor girl, Rose of Hope, Chaylorxtraylorlover101, Rockyshadow, RissaIzDeBomb, and RamandusDaughter23. Also thank you to those of you who lent out suggestions for these oneshots. ^^ So, there's a shortage of songs so I regret to say I'll have to end these soon. T_T However, I will list the songs I do plan (or hopefully plan to) use: Always There (Lady and the Tramp 2), I Didn't Know that I Could Feel this Way (Lady and the Tramp 2), That's How You Know (Enchanted), At the Beginning (Anastasia), Out of thin Air (Aladdin and the King of Thieves), Streets of Gold (Oliver and Company), and Second Star to the Right (Peter Pan). Remember, not everything is set in stone cause I also need to think of a storyline to go with the song. xD And yes, Anastasia is not Disney once again but I thought the song would work. I had an idea...and then I forgot what it was. 0_o And as second Star to the Right was also a sugegstion, please let me know if I forgot to add any to this list and if you have any other suggestions as well. So, my apologies for this really long author's note, let's get to the story.

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"What took you so long?" Troy Bolton gasped as he opened the front door to the Danforth household, letting in Taylor McKessie. "Chad's been locked in his room for I don't even know how long now!"

"Troy calm down." Taylor replied. "We'll get him out of there."

"Easier said than done." Troy muttered, slamming the door shut and storming into the kitchen.

Taylor sighed and adjourned over to the couch where her best friend Gabriella Montez was sitting. "What's gotten into him?" Taylor asked.

"Nothing as bad as what's gotten into Chad. He's not letting anyone in his room." Gabriella sighed. "He's been like that since his mom's funeral."

"That was a week ago." Taylor said.

"I know." Gabriella replied. "Troy and I tried everything to get him out but he wouldn't listen. He won't talk or anything, I don't even think he's come out to eat or use the bathroom."

"A person can only survive so long without food, and especially without water." Taylor's eyes widened.

"That's why we keep leaving food by his door every few hours." Gabriella shrugged. "Why is Chad so down anyway? I mean, I knew he and his mother were close but I never knew..."

"It's not just that Gabriella." she shook her head. "His mother was almost the only family he had left. And if he wasn't eighteen already I'm sure he'd be sent to live with one of his relatives by now. But he was also left this whole place by his mother in her will so it's not like he'd want to sell it either."

"So what is the story?" Gabriella asked. Since she hadn't lived there very long she wouldn't know every detail about her friends' lives either, especially not their pasts. She was naturally curious.

Taylor sighed. Chad had told her once but it had clearly been hard for him. Not that she could blame him or anything; his childhood wasn't exactly all roses and daisies.

"He never knew his father." she explained. "All he knows is that he walked out on him and his mother I don't even remember when. It could have been before he was born or when he was a baby, or just too long ago for Chad to even remember him. And Chad was always curious about who his father was and why it was always just him and his mother. But he was only told that he didn't have one. Somehow Chad knew that he existed and he always wanted to find him. So now, with his mother gone, what else would Chad be thinking about?"

Gabriella blinked and took it all in. "He must be torn up inside." she realized.

"Wondering if his father even cares that his mother's gone now or f he's even thinking about Chad at all." Taylor added. "And now of all times, Chad really needs a person like that. A father figure to help him through this."

"You mean to be told to stop whining and get on with life?" Troy grunted from the kitchen.

"He's in a bad mood." Gabriella whispered.

"Yeah, I gathered that." Taylor nodded.

Gabriella looked at her boyfriend. "Has Chad ever told you anything about his family, Troy? About what he knows about his father?"

Troy shook his head. "He changed the subject every time I brought it up. I just thought the old man died or something."

"Well if you're going to be all grumpy about it then why don't you go home?" Taylor suggested as she stood up from the couch. "I'll go try and talk to Chad." Straightening out her skit as she stood, Taylor then made her way up the stairs to her boyfriend's room.

"Should we really go?" Gabriella wondered.

"And miss the chance for free food here? Yeah right." Troy joked.

Well, at least Troy tried to lighten up the situation. Better than nothing. But really, what else was there to do to brighten up a situation at a time like this?

**You showed me the world**

**When I was all locked up inside**

**You reached out your hand**

**And took me on a magic carpet ride**

"Chad?" Taylor asked quietly, gently knocking on his locked bedroom door. "Chad are you still in there?"

All she could hear from inside was a muffled "go away". Taylor sighed and looked at the ground, then back at his door.

"I know you're depressed Chad. But you can't stay locked in there forever. Everyone's worried about you." Taylor said.

"Is my dad worried too?" he asked sarcastically.

"Don't start now." she shook her head.

"And why shouldn't I?" he snapped. "He's out there and he could care less about my mom or me. Look at where we are now Taylor, do you know what we've been through?"

"Chad he walked out on you and your mother when you were young. Maybe even before." she said. The first time he opened up to her about this, Taylor knew that she couldn't push her luck and talk excessively about it. But she still was concerned, so she talked about it for as long as she could. There was just one issue: she didn't want to listen to Chad complain to a guy who didn't even care enough to send them something like money to help them get by when they needed it. As far as Taylor was concerned, Chad's father was a no good lowlife (to put it in the most polite terms). He didn't deserve to have a woman who was a great and caring as Chad's mom and he certainly didn't deserve someone as talented and loyal as Chad.

"Why do you care so much about him when he could care less about you, dead or alive?" Taylor finally willed herself to ask.

"Because he's my father and I need to know where I come from!" Chad yelled.

Taylor stepped back at the sound of his voice. She could only imagine his reaction behind the closed door. Was he mad at himnself for snapping? Was he angry at his father? Or was it all just depression over his loss? Certainly saying sorry wouldn't help; he had heard that too much already and it did no good. There had to be some other way to talk to him, to get him to come out. And yelling and arguing were going to do even less good than it was now.

**One look at your smile**

**And I can see the light**

**Shining everywhere**

**People like you don't come out of thin air**

"Chad?" she asked in a much softer tone now. "Can I please come in?"

Taylor waited for a minute in silence. She didn't hear any movement on the other side of the door nor did she hear anything that sounded like Chad's voice. Maybe he was giving her the silent treatment now. It would make sense, with all the times she had given him the cold shoulder. After all, why wouldn't he not give someone the cold shoulder right now? But with the silence it only gave Taylor the message that he didn't want anything to do with anyone right now, that he wanted to be left alone in his room in the darkness and silence. But really, how long could he go like that? He couldn't keep being brought food and drinks by his friends or staying locked in a room where there was no bathroom or space to move. If only there was some way to get him to come out, even to talk for a few minutes and show him that he shouldn't be as down as he should....

Taylor blinked and stepped back. Much to her surprise, she heard a snap on the other side and the door seemed to crack open just a bit. Cautiously moving it open just a bit with her hand, Taylor made sure it was ok before stepping inside. The room was covered in complete darkness and Chad was the only visible figure in the room. It wasn't hard to see; he was curled up on his bed with his legs into his chest. He faced the closed windows and sat in the silence, obviously trying to tune out the outside world.

Taylor decided to keep it simple at first, to just speak of little mediocre things just to try and get him to communicate. "Are you hungry?"

"No." he muttered.

"Do you want me to turn on a light?"

"I like it better in the dark."

"What about some water?"

"Taylor, I'm fine."

well that didn't seem to do much. Every time Taylor asked something it only seemed to get Chad more annoyed. She sighed, knowing that there was no other way around this. It was going to have to be done the hard way. She sat down on the bed behind him and gently caressed his back. "Just relax Chad." she whispered. "You're not alone here you know."

"Troy and Gabriella wouldn't stop buggin me the whole time." he muttered again.

"why are you so insistent on thinking of your father when it's your mother who you'll never see again? Statistically, the odds are that you'll see him are slim. But you're never going to have another moment with your mother, the woman who raised you and loved you. What did you father do for you?" Taylor asked as softly and calmly as she could.

**You don't understand**

**There is so much that you don't see**

**Just think, if you can**

**What growing up had to be like for me**

"He could've helped us instead of walked out. I wanna know why he did that." Chad replied. "What did I or my mom do that was so wrong he wanted to just leave and forget we ever existed?"

"Maybe it wasn't either of you, Chad." Taylor said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Maybe it was him. There could have been something wrong with him. We can assume the worst or we can assume the best. Which one we assume, that's not up to either of us to decide. If you want my opinion, I think he was a selfish and greedy man who could care less for others. As soon as he had to take some responsibility he just picked up and left."

"Then I'd need to know why." Chad said. "I need to know about him. What he did that was always so bad, where he came from, what I am. I always wanted to know that part of me. I'm not just my mom, Taylor. I'm part of my dad, too. How can I be me if I don't know half of who I am?"

"You don't need to know that half, Chad. You know all of who you are. You know what parts came from your mother. So all you have to do is take the parts that don't come from her and assume they come from your father." she replied.

"That still doesn't mean I know who he is." he rolled his eyes. "You're one of the lucky ones. You grew up with both of your parents. They raised you together. They took care of you together. They helped you together when you needed it. I had half of that. Where did my other half go?"

**Your father's a man**

**who taught you who you are**

**Mine was never there**

**So how can you say I don't come out of thin air?**

No matter what they talked about, everything kept coming back to Chad wanting to know his father, begging to know him. Obviously this was important and Taylor couldn't ignore it. But that didn't mean that was all that should be on his mind.

"Chad, look at me?" she asked, hoping he would turn to face her instead of acting like he had been talking to the window the whole time. She could see some hesitation in his movements, but slowly but surely he turned his whole body to face her. Taylor couldn't get a clear look at him in the dark, except for what looked like an aftershave and a dull dark sun hovering in his eyes. She placed her hand under his chin so he could pick up his head and look at her, even with his curly bangs in his face. Taylor then picked up her free hand and showed him the ring on her finger.

"Do you remember when you gave this promise ring to me?" she asked. Not waiting for him to answer, she continued, making sure to keep her voice stern yet gentle. "You said that as long as I have this, no matter what we are to each other we'll still be there for each other somehow. No matter what I think of you or you think of me, no matter how far apart we are, and no matter where the future takes us. And you even threw out the possibility of it leading to something more than just friendship or dating at some point. I can be here for you now because I know how much you need someone. But if you stay locked in here forever dreading about the father you never had then how can you ever be there for me when I need you?"

Taylor looked right into his eyes, trying to see what he was thinking. She was hoping that Chad would get this message and that it'd knock some sense into him somehow. But even before he could open his mouth to answer, they could hear Gabriella calling from downstairs.

"Guys, you have to see this!"

Chad and Taylor exchanged glances. Chad wasn't ready to leave his room, but Taylor dragged him right off the bed and down the stairs. He tried resisting, but Taylor wasn't going to let him stay in that room forever. And it sounded awfully urgent, too.

"What's going on?" she asked as they soon reached the first story of the house.

"Look at the news. Now!" Gabriella gasped, anxiously pointing the remote to the television.

Chad and taylor ran to the front of the screen to see what the commotion was about. And there, right there on the small yet high definitioned television screen, there were some cops dragging away a curly-haired man. And the hair happened to look exactly like Chad's.

**There's so much I want to know**

**You've got the chance to learn**

Chad's eyes widened as he saw the man in the picture. Even Taylor could see the shock they possessed. There was no denying the similarity between Chad and the man. The screen got a closeup of the man's face and it looked even more like Chad's. He had the same skin tone, the same brown eyes, and the same facial structure. But there was one major difference. His eyes had nothing but hate and anger in them. Chad's were always pull of passion and love. This man's couldn't resemble Chad's eyes at all. How could they even be related when their main emotions were so different?

"that's him..."

The words escaped Chad's mouth slowly and hoarsely, but the four were sure of it They knew exactly what he was saying and they knew that he was right.

"That's my father..."

"Dude!" Troy gasped, the situation distracting him from the grumpiness he had held earlier. "You gotta go catch up to him. You gotta tell him what's goin on!"

"Troy do you really think he would care?" Gabriella couldn't help but asked. "How would he even know...?"

"How wouldn't he know, Gabs? Look at them!" Troy insisted. "You can't deny something like that!"

Taylor looked at Chad, unsure of this. She knew that no one else could make the decision for him. Chad had to make up his mind whether to go see the man or not. But with all that has happened, with all the talk that went on, the answer was right in front of their faces.

"Are you going to go see him?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Taylor, it's my dad!" he replied. "Why wouldn't I go? Do you know how much I have to ask him? How much I have to tell him? After everything that happened..."

"Would he even acknowledge your existence?" Taylor blrt out. As soon as she realized what she said, she covered her mouth. The words were hurtful, she knew. But she hadn't meant for it to come out like that.

**If it means I'd have to go**

**I'll be right here when you return**

"He has to." Chad's words were low and harsh, but they were audible. "He can't deny me. Not anymore."

"And what does he have to offer you? He's being dragged away in a cop car. He's not like you, Chad." Taylor said. "The looks may be identical, but there is no way he could be related to you. Did you even look at him?"

"I did. And do you know what I saw?" he asked.

Troy and Gabriella were silent. They now stood at the back of the room, knowing that this was for Chad and taylor to work out. Taylor was the one who had known the story, not them. This was Chad's life, not theirs. For the moment, just the moment, they had no part in it.

"I saw all of the things I could do with my dad that I always saw kids do with their dads. Go to baseball games, watch cartoons and eat junk food, have belching contests, get in trouble with others, have playful brawls around the house, just be around and be guys.." Chad continued. He took a deep breath before he continued. "I saw all of the things that my dad could be there for in the future. My graduation. My college years. Maybe my first basketball game in the big leagues. My wedding. Tay, can you picture it? My father at my wedding? What guy wouldn't want that? I could have family there for a change instead of being the odd one out. He could see the man I grew up to be, he can see all of my friends and know the wonderful woman that I know. He can see what he missed out after all these years. How would you feel if that was your dad, Taylor?"

There was Chad's passion again; not just in his eyes, but in his words. He knew what he wanted so much. And he desperately wanted his father there for something in his life. To know him as a father, not as the lowlife they just saw digitally. And what if he wasn't the bad guy Taylor always assumed he was? What if deep down Chad's father was kind somewhere in all of that? What if he really did want to care for Chad and his mother but had to leave somewhere or find a way to get more money and travel? What if he wanted to see Chad just as much as Chad wanted to see him?

**Our wedding can wait**

**I love you**

**I think it's worth this small delay**

**Maybe you're right**

"Are you sure you really want to do this?" Taylor finally asked after taking in all that he said.

Chad took a deep breath and nodded not even a minute later. "Yes. I'm sure."

Taylor shrugged and shook her head, her voice now generally filled with concern. "I just don't want you to set yourself up thinking you're ready for this and then find out that he's not the guy you always thought he was. I don't want you to get disappointed."

"Maybe I will get disappointed. Maybe I'll be proud. I don't know." Chad admitted. "But don't you think i deserve to know my own father?"

"Of course." she nodded. "It's just a question of whether or not you'll be able to handle it. If you're sure you're ready for this."

"I know." Chad replied. "But if I don't do it now I may lose my only chance. I know the station they went to, it's the one not too far from the scene he was at. It should be right downtown. I can drive there and ask to see him. Find out that other half of me."

Taylor nodded once more, knowing that there was no changing his mind now. It was made up and Chad was ready to move forward. He didn't want to look back on what could be; he wanted to know what he had to. He wanted to know what he deserved to know. And it would be unjust to make him wait longer or to have him never know and let it haunt him for life. And as much as Taylor was against it, now wanting to see Chad heartbroken or get hurt, she knew he had to go.

"Ok." she agreed. "Then you'd better catch up to them before you lose them again."

"So you're really ok with me going?" Chad asked.

Well, he hadn't been tuning her out the whole time. The darkness that covered Chad physically and emotionally was slowly lifting and he was ready to move on. If it didn't turn out the way he wanted it to, his friends knew he would let it go. He wouldn't like it at first, but he'd learn to let it go. And with his friends he wouldn't be alone.

"Not entirely." she confessed. "But it's something you have to do. And I'm not going to stand in your way."

Chad nodded. But then he went back into thinking and a omment of silence clouded the atmosphere once more. He finally spoke, sure enough of his words.

"Then come with me."

**And won't it be great**

**To have your father see our wedding day?**

**I've waited so long**

**It isn't too late**

**To learn the truth**

**And now at least, we can finally say**

Taylor blinked, caught off by his suggestion. He was supposed to do this alone, wasn't he? This was his family, not hers. His life, not hers. Maybe in a way his problem and not hers, but also his decision and not hers. So why would he be asking her to go with him?

"What?" she asked, wanting to make sure she heard him right.

"Come with me." he repeated. "I can't do this on my own, Tay. I need moral support there. With someone there that I know is gonna back me up and be there for me no matter what, I don't have to worry about going it alone. My mom was always the one with me but now she can't be anymore. And the closest thing I have to my family now is you. I need you there with me so I can be prepared for the worst."

"Hey what about me? We're like brothers." Troy whined.

Gabriella playfully nudged him in the chest. "Sh," she scolded quietly, "they're having a moment."

Taylor just shook her head. "But this isn't-"

"Your concern?" he finished for her. "Your problem? Your father?"

"It's not my place." she corrected. "why should I be the one to go with you when I thought the worst of him from the start?"

"You can be there to prove me wrong, or I can prove you wrong." Chad said simply. "I don't care which way it is. But I know that you're not gonna leave me because of who my dad is. If you were gonna I'm pretty sure you would've left already with what you thought."

Taylor couldn't help but giggle. He did have a point there.

"So what do you say?" Chad asked, holding his hand out to her. "Say you'll come with me?"

Taylor look at his hand, then back at Chad. He was still so sure of himself, so sure of what he was saying, and so sure of what he was doing. Chad wasn't completely impuslive; sometimes he did think things through. Whether he had actually thought things through in such a short amount of time or whether he was really being impuslive, Taylor didn't know. But she did know that one way or another Chad needed someone. And if it wasn't going to be Troy, it was going to be her. Taylor didn't turn him down when he needed help before, and she wasn't going to turn him down now.

So a smile slowly crossed her face at Chad's uggestion and his caring side, and placed her hand in his.

"I'll come with you."

**Your father is really there**

**There's so much that we might share**

**And you'll finally learn**

**You don't come out of thin air**

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Yeah, I wasn't sure how else to make it end other than a cliffhanger like that. xD And no, there won't be a continuation chapter or anything. But I was also getting hungry while I was typing this and had to get ready for class, and I didn't wanna forget the idea I had before a worse idea came up. lol Oh come on, I know you guys have a sense of humor. A person can joke about their own writing can't they? Anyway, this song was "Out of Thin Air" from Aladdin and the King of Thieves. I do not own the song, HSm, or any characters. Not as far as the other songs go, I'm going to decide soon which ones I will use and which ones...i won't. xD The Second Star to the Right, I believe was a request for a finale chapter, but I plan to use the song from Enchanted as the next to last chapter. It may not be classic Disney, but I thought the movie was a good culmination of some of the Disney Princess movies and how it brought it all together even in a live-action movie. The lost shoe from Cinderella, the poisoned apple from Snow White, the scene with the dancing from Beauty and the Beast (at least that's what it looked like to me XD), and...whatever scenes there were that I can't remember at the moment. =P Ok, I've blabbed enough now. I will let you leave now and like I said, if you have any songs I haven't used or thought of using feel free to suggest them. I know I'm not the only one who grew up on Disney music. Anyway I will now shut up in three, two, one!


	25. Admit It

Alright, we are onto the next chapter! What is it, twenty something? Yeah I'm not looking at anything so I lost count. xD Anyway this chapter is a request one. Cornoque chaylor girl from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Now first I will say in advance I never watched the movie much nor did I understand it. Because it took place in a Church I found it, at least now, a bit religious...which then again would also explain why I never understood some of the stuff they mentioned in the movie. xD (Yes, that means I am not Cathloic, but that's all besides the point.) Anyway, I was trying to figure out how to pull this off too, and it took me a couple of ideas. I was thinking today in the commuter lounge at school and I was thinking for about an hour or so before typing this up. So I really hope this turns out well to your liking.

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Taylor McKessie was a lot of things. She was strong, never showing emotions so easily and always ready to not only stand up for herself and those she cared about but also for what she believed in. She was stubborn, never willing to take advice unless she gave it to herself - and when she finally would take advice from someone else she would not accept it so easily nor admit that she needed it in the first place. She was independent, always assuming that she was fine on her own and never asking, begging, or doing anything else of the sort for others; yes of course she helped others but she never asked for their help in return. She was intelligent, always focusing on her studies and working to improve herself and the knowledge of everything around her. She was impatient, not allowing herself to wait longer than a set amount of time before reaching the front of a line or waiting for someone to take her out some place. But one thing she never expected to be was a teen mother.

Now there were two sides to the story: the factual side and Taylor's side.

The factual side was simple. Taylor found herself attracted to another person, a male of course, and one thing led to another. Did he pressure her? Perhaps a little. Did she want to do it? She had certainly not experienced it before and it would only add to her knowledge. But you know where this goes, right? She was smart to use protection of course, but neither of them knew that a little something something broke in the middle of it. And guess where it led to. Taylor fell pregnant and confessed to her boyfriend, who ultimately ended up leaving her. That was two years ago, during her senior year of high school. Not really the best way to end those years, for anyone.

But the way Taylor saw it was much more complex. It wasn't all a 'what you see is what you get' type thing. She found herself attracted to a male and put herself out there. She was more than happy to find out that her affections were returned. She had analyzed every point there were at with caution and exactness, as though it were as logical as a logarithm equation. She didn't rush too fast for her first kiss nor did she jump right from there to making out. It was third base that became most confusing. She had taken health class of course, so she knew the precautions that had to be taken and what had to be done on both ends. Taylor knew that it was a big step and she constantly questioned herself on whether or not she was ready to take it. She saw where her boyfriend had been coming from, how he felt every time their bodies touched and what he wanted it to lead to. Taylor didn't want to deprive him of that. She could easily answer herself when she questioned her feelings for him...at least, she thought so. So she gave into the lust. She poured out her feelings and opened her heart to him. And look what it ended up with. They were supposed to be in it together, to bring up the child together. But he turned his back on her like it was all for nothing. It was quite stereotypical actually. He didn't' want to settle down and have to stick with one girlfriend from eighteen on because he wasn't that serious. So when Taylor needed him most he broke her heart in two.

Taylor had to know everything to every last detail. She had to analyze everything so it was precisely correct. That's what she had done since he left her. So now here she was, a twenty-year-old with a little girl living in a small house owned by her landlord. No further education, no full time job, no one to help her. Now that was plain and simple.

_I don't know if you can hear me_

_Or if you're even there_

_I don't know if you would listen to a gypsy's prayer_

"Come on Keisha," Taylor sighed as she carried her two-year-old into the house and into the bedroom, "let's get you to sleep."

She didn't blame the little one for being so worn out. Taylor had been forced to take her daughter to work since the free daycare center she had used so much had finally closed. Most of her co-workers adored Keisha, of course, but that also meant less time to work and less money to earn. And Taylor knew that the rent was due soon, not to mention she had accidentally kept a few library books for too long. But this wasn't what she wanted. Not for her and certainly not for her daughter.

Taylor tucked Keisha into the warm bed and kissed her good-night. She let the child sleep as she walked back into the living room, beginning to look through the day's mail. So much junk mail, so much more to pay...what was this? Taylor's eyes widened as she saw a sheet of paper with bold red letters stamped diagonally on the center.

"Evicted?" she gasped. Taylor groaned and threw the paper down on the table. This was just great. Now she had to pay said amount of money in three days or she would be forced out. Where was she supposed to go? Certainly not a shelter. And it wasn't like any of her co-workers could take her in; Taylor couldn't bother them with two more mouths to feed.

"What am I going to do?" she sighed.

_Yes I know I'm just an outcast_

_I shouldn't speak to you_

_Still I see your face and wonder_

_Were you once an outcast, too?_

Two days had passed and still Taylor hadn't earned enough money. One day to go. She had worked overtime and everything. Luckily one of her co-workers sisters was able to babysit Keisha for her, but it wasn't enough. Not enough to let her work longer or earn more money. It all seemed so hopeless. Who could Taylor turn to now? She sighed and put her hands on her forehead, her fingers running through her hair. As hard as she tried to think of a solution, nothing came to mind. She was out of ideas and she was out of time.

Suddenly, a knock came to the door and she picked up her head. Who on earth could that be? And at this late hour? Removing herself from her chair, Taylor left the table and walked over to the front door. She opened it and, much to her surprise, there was the landlord's son. What as he doing here? Was she being kicked out already? Couldn't she even have that last day? See if she could even start packing or find a place to stay? Anything?

But as much as she was panicking on the inside, Taylor wouldn't allow herself to appear so distressed. "Good evening Mr. Danforth."

"Um...I'm not your landlord Taylor. You can call me Chad." he replied after a minute.

"Sorry Mr. Da-" she started, then corrected herself. "I mean, Chad. Would you like to come in?"

He cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes please."

Taylor nodded and left the door opened so he could enter. She didn't know Chad that well, but he seemed to have more softspots than his father. He didn't like seeing people get kicked out of their homes, Taylor knew that much. He had heart, she gave him that. But she wasn't going to be dragged in by his kindness. Whatever he had planned, she was sure it wasn't going to turn out the way she wanted it to. One way or another, she would be out of the house and most likely off to a woman's shelter and this rate, and before she knew it.

"Would you like anything to drink?" she asked, sitting on the couch.

"No thank you." Chad shook his head, closing the door behind him. He joined her on the couch.

Taylor sighed, already assuming she knew where this was going. "If you're here to kick me out now all I ask is to give me until morning to pack and find a place to stay." she said right away.

"You've still got one more day." Chad said, placing his hands in his lap.

"One day, one week, one year, it would make no difference I'm sure." Taylor shook her head. "There's no way I can earn the money in one day to stay here."

_God help the outcasts_

_Hungry from birth_

_Show them the mercy_

_They don't find on Earth_

"How do you know that?" Chad asked.

"It's impossible." Taylor said. She looked at him. "Listen, if there's any chance I could even try to get a few more days, just a few..."

"I've tried that before from others, Tay." Chad sighed. "My dad doesn't go for it. He's not a giving person."

Taylor merely nodded and turned her side to him, looking downward. She should have seen that coming; Taylor knew just as much as anyone else that Chad's father was one to try and keep as much money to himself and give as little back as he could in return. Just because she asked his son for assistance, something she never thought she'd resort to doing, didn't mean that she would get it. That was one of the reasons why she never asked for help. If there was only one reason she was looking for it, it was for her daughter. That was the only person she was going to show any affection to from now on.

"But...there is a way to fix things. At least a little." Chad sighed, which made Taylor look up.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Taylor, this is a side job for me. I know who deserves to stay here and who doesn't. I have ways of finding out and I have ways of helping them." he explained. "I've seen so many people get kicked outta here for no good reason. So what if they don't have enough money? They got other things to use it for. My dad doesn't understand that. But I do. And the one thing I'm sure of, is that you are the one person around here who doesn't deserve to be evicted."

"Why would you ever think that?" Taylor asked quietly. She never thought much of it. She figured that she was the last person to deserve anything for free after all the work she put herself through. She worked to earn what she needed and she intended to keep it that way.

_God help my people_

_We look to you still_

_God help the outcasts_

_Or nobody will_

"Why wouldn't I think that? I've read your file." Chad replied.

"My file?" Taylor repeated.

"Yeah. All residents have one. My dad likes to keep an eye out." he nodded. "And quiet frankly...so do I."

Taylor just shook her head. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear this. Hopefully she could get him out of here as quickly as possible.

"I'm sorry Chad, but I don't have time for this." she shook her head quickly. "I really should get back to work and find a way to get more money...."

"Do you know what you go through everyday?" he interrupted. "I know all about you Taylor. Don't underestimate me."

Taylor refused to listen and at least attempted to pretend she was getting some papers together like she was preparing for something. "Don't act like that Chad. You don't know anything about me."

"Valedictorian of your high school. President of Chemistry Club. Head of Scholastic Decathlon. Student council president. Volunteered at the local beach two summers in a row." Chad started, naming everything he could recall reading about her. "You grew up in New Mexico. Youngest of three, two older sisters, the older one five years older and the second three years older. Two parents; your mom was an accountant and your dad was a bank president. Your eldest sister decided to go out of the country and attended Banting in Canada. And your second sister stayed on the west Coast at UCLA, then transferred to a school in Louisiana. You were on a full-ride scholarship to Harvard Law. But you never took it. "Less than five months after graduating high school you had a daughter at the general hospital in Albuquerque. Keisha Adrienne McKessie on October fifth at nine a.m. You moved out of your parents' house and struggled to get jobs. You've had three different jobs in the past two years. Bell girl at a local hotel, cashier at Wall Mart, and an usher at a movie theater. You tried to settle down here about six months ago and are struggling your job and Keisha."

Taylor blinked. She had never expected Chad's research to be...so thorough. "How do you know all that about me?" she finally asked in a surprised yet quiet voice.

_I ask for wealth_

_I ask for fame_

_I ask for glory to shine on my name_

_I ask for love I can possess_

_I ask for God and his angels to bless me_

"I make it my business to know certain people." Chad admitted, though it sounded like he was going to say something else.

"So I haven't lived the most privileged life. I understand that." Taylor allowed herself to say as she moved a loose strand of hair out of her face.

"I can't say the same for myself either." he replied. "I knew we're the same age and I couldn't have gone through everything you did, but I had my share of disappointments, too. I lost my mom before I was ten. Why do you think my dad's always in such a bad mood? I wasn't the best at school and I never had a steady girlfriend. But after everything you went through you deserve one positive thing in your life. One thing that'll always stay the same. And if you won't go to anyone else for help then you can come to me."

"Cad I can't-" she started.

"Mommy?"

Taylor turned her head to see Keisha standing in the doorway. "Honey what's wrong?" she asked going over to the two-year-old.

"I had a bad dweam." she replied quietly.

Taylor picked Keisha up. "It's ok, it was just a dream. It wasn't real." she promised.

Chad rubbed his chin as he watched. He waited a minute, then walked over to the girls. "You know what always helps me when I have a bad dream?" he asked Keisha. "I drink a nice big glass of water and think about balloons."

"I like bawoons." Keisha said.

"Then that's all you gotta go." Chad said calmly. "Think about all the bright colors. Just close your eyes and picture all the balloons in the sky. They're flying up and covering the sky in all rainbow colors. Red, yellow, green, pink, orange..."

Keisha listened to the sound of his voice as she closed her eyes. Before either of them knew it she was sound asleep. Taylor shook her head in disbelief and looked at Chad.

"How did you...?"

"I kinda have a way with kids. Oldest of five." Chad shrugged. "Twenty, nineteen, two seventeens, a sixteen, and a just-turned fifteen."

Taylor looked down at her sleeping daughter, then back at Chad. "You're amazing, do you know that?"

"I've been told a couple of times." Chad admitted. "And I might be willing to throw you the money."

_I ask for nothing_

_I can get by_

_But I know so many_

_Less lucky than I_

_Please help my people_

_The poor and downtrod_

"I couldn't ask you to." Taylor said.

Obviously Chad wasn't going to hear any of it. "Tay, why are you doing everything that you do? Why do you constantly put up with juggling jobs and passing up opportunities for college and live in a dump like this when you know you can do so much better?"

Taylor held Keisha closer to her and sighed. "For my daughter, of course." she said softly. "I don't...go to others for help. I can get by on my own. I don't need help from anyone else. If I stop what I'm doing now that means less for Keisha and evidently even less for me. And I'm not putting either of us in that situation."

"Just because you've had some bad luck with a few things doesn't mean you can give up on asking for help when you know you need it." Chad replied.

"It wouldn't matter. I can't go to anyone else." Taylor confessed. "My family wants nothing to do with me. Keisha's father walked out the minute I knew I was going to have her. I don't talk to my friends from high school anymore. I can't trust anyone else with my life but me. So now you answer me this: why would you be so willing to help me? What's in it for you?"

Chad sighed, knowing the jig was up. "I'm willing to lend you the money on one condition. You don't have to agree to it; it's optional." he offered. "But it is there."

Taylor sighed, hoping his condition wouldn't be too horrible. Knowing Chad it most likely wouldn't be. He was actually a noble and honorable man, at least from what she could tell. But still, that didn't mean she was willing to take chances.

"Name it."

"I'll lend you the money...if you go out with me." he confessed. "But only if you want to."

Wait a minute...did he just ask her out? Why would he do that? Taylor had nothing to offer him. What could he see in someone who was once so promising and then threw everything away? Ok, so he got something out of it and she got something out of it; Taylor understood that much. But what could he want with one date? Was it she who he was after? Her body?

Finally, she gave up on trying to figure out. She just looked away and sighed. "You don't want to go on a date with me." she said. "And if you're paying me to do it then you're wasting your money. But if it's sex you want then I'm not going to give my body for that just to stay here."

"That's not what I want." he shook his head. "I said you don't have to if you don't want to. I never said that I wouldn't give you the money if you declined. But if you're not interested then just tell me."

She couldn't believe she was saying this. Probably the most decent man she'd met in a long time and she was pushing him away. She didn't want to get close to someone again and then watch him leave her; she didn't want to open her heart and make herself vulnerable only to get hurt in the end. The words escaped her lips quietly, almost barely audible.

"I'm not interested."

Chad held in a sigh as he nodded. The word was branded onto his face: rejected. "Alright." he said in a quiet tone. "I'll come by first thing in the morning to give you the money." He turned to the door. It was a quiet squeak, but the door opened and then it closed. He was gone.

_The children of God_

_God help the outcasts_

_The children of God_

Taylor sighed and pulled Keisha in as close to her as she could be. Taylor knew right then and there that she had made the biggest mistake of her life. True, she'd only known Chad since she moved there, but even she knew from the moment she met him that he was a good guy. Everything she saw in him was what she wanted, what she was looking for. That support. That help. That someone to open her heart to. Just someone.

She shook her head. She couldn't take it anymore. There had to be someone she could go to, to give her the stregth to go after Chad and tell him she reconsidered. So she looked up to the ceiling, almost as though she were looking right through it and into the sky.

"Please help me." she whispered.

It took a few moments as Taylor stood where she was, but then somehow she knew. What was stopping her from going after Chad? Nothing. Why should she stay there and pout? She shouldn't. Why shouldn't she go out with Chad? It certainly wasn't that she didn't like him. So why should she push him away when Taylor knew she needed him more than anything else right now? Not waiting another moment, Taylor sped out the door and went after Chad. But much to her surprise, there he was, still in front of her house.

"Chad?" she blinked.

Chad spun around to her. "Taylor...I was uh..." he stammered. It was clear that he hadn't come up with a decent excuse for his staying put. "I was uh...just admiring...your lawn. I think it looks greener than the others. Are you doing something new with it?"

"Seven?" was her repsonse.

Cahd blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

"Seven? Tomorrow night? Do you still want that date?" she asked.

"Well...yeah of course." he nodded. "But why did you change your mind?"

"I finally asked for help. And I should have known all along that somewhere there was someone I could go to." Taylor replied.

Chad smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "So...we have a date?"

"Yeah." Taylor nodded with a smile, feeling happier for the first time in years. "Yeah we do."

* * *

Not one of the fluffier chapters anyway. XD I worked on this for a few hours and finished this after midnight...when I should be sleeping. Not smart. xD So my neck is really hurting right now and I'm gonna go to bed. So, I hope this was a good chapter and fullfilled the request at least decently. Like I said, if you have any ideas feel free to share them. Now why do I always feel like I'm forgetting something? -_- Deep in thought, deep in thought.... Of forget it. Sleep first, think later.


	26. The Grass Isn't Greener

Ok I might have mentioned that I couldn't do too many updates the next few days, or this week, because of large amounts of homework. But I had a brainstorm and I just couldn't resist. So, this is one of the suggested songs and once again I wanna thank everyone who did suggest some music, and this was one of the suggestions from Rockyshadow. So I really hope this one turns out well. It's "Go the Distance" from Hercules , which I don't own. And it's the longer version, not the shorter one (though at some point I could always use the shorter version XD). So, enjoy!  
I'd be rich if I owned HSM...and then I wouldn't be working. o_0

* * *

Have you ever had that feeling like your life is going nowhere? That you really needed something to try and just take your mind off of it, or prove that there was something better out there for you? Well lemme tell you, being cooped up in a house in the middle of nowhere isn't much fun. I've been living there ever since I can remember. There's hardly any civilization around for miles. The one school around here...there's probably less than fifty kids in there. I've got one neighbor for probably two or five miles. Most of my family consists of pigs, sheep and horses. Yeah, you guessed it...my house is on a farm. A small, smelly, stinky, ugly old red barn. It's ridiculous, ok? There's gotta be more to life behind some white picket fence and fields of corn. I don't care if my family's been doing it for generations. My dad's family was there, his dad's family was there...it goes back to like five generations. And the sad thing is, they only got together with women from around here. So with my luck I'll be living the rest of my life with my one neighbor.

Not that I'd ever complain about that, exactly. I mean, Taylor's great and all...but I don't know if we're meant to be more than friends. Siblings, maybe, but I don't know about more. I just wanna get out of here, find some place better, with more excitement and more stuff to do. Around here, if you pass around then you'll fall asleep three minutes into the ride. No joke.

But see, there is one problem. There's a big feud between this rural area and some big city. You'd think it was a war if it weren't for the lack of weapons and all. But see, that's the kind of excitement I wanna be part of. I wanna get into a big battle and come out all heroically. I wanna fight some big fight and win above everyone else and prove that just because I come from some deserted area I can be the best. That I'm stronger than anyone ever gives me credit for. That there's more to me than just some farm boy.

But you know what, they'll never see that. Not at this rate. It'll be the same way for future Danforth generations to come.

_I have often dreamed_

_Of a far-off place_

_Where a hero's welcome_

_Would be waiting for me_

Let's take you through a typical day around here and you'll see my point, kay?

See first my alarm clock rings. At five in the morning! Who wakes up at five in the morning unless you're in the army? My point exactly. Maybe then I wouldn't mind getting up that early. Cause then there'd be a big day full of adventure, excitement, and danger. You'd never know what would happen. But around here, you always know what to expect. And life that way just plain sucks.

"Chad, get up sweetie!" my mom called from downstairs. "You promised to help milk the cows."

I rolled my eyes and got out of bed. See, this was our first week working with cows. Some big trade my dad invested in or something, I don't know. But he showed me how to work with the big guys and I only agreed to help to get out of collecting eggs from the chickens. The one bright side to that, at least we don't have over five chickens. Maybe like three hens and two roosters. Something like that. But that's besides the point. Anyway, when you live on a farm, at least in these particular parts, you wear the same things every day: overalls and dirty white t-shirts. And half the time I gotta pull my hair back. And my hair is taking disco to a new level. Ok, so it's not the kind of fro that just poofs out to every side, but it's pretty similar to that if you know what I mean. And tying it back into a ponytail half the time isn't a walk in the park. Not like there's even any parks around here to walk in, anyway.

So as soon as I'm changed and got my hair all together, I grab a bucket and head out to the barn where one of the cows is. We only have two, since there's another farm about thirty minutes away that specializes in cows. But apparently this is good - it helps us learn about different animals and if we have to look after anything for anyone else. That's what my family does. We have our own specialties but we've been learning about other animals. Again, boring. We learn enough in school so why learn more out here? I only rolled my eyes at the thought as I got to milking the first cow. Now if I was out there, away from here, this wouldn't be a daily chore. I'd be able to sleep in at least for an extra hour, maybe even two or three if I got lucky. There'd be so much more happening and more faces to see. What was there out here? That's right - nothing.

_Where the crowds will cheer_

_When they see my face_

_And a voice keeps saying_

_This is where I'm meant to be_

"Morning Chad!"

I picked up my head to see Taylor walking over here. Probably one of the better things about being here. The girl is fine. But don't forget, this is like my sis we're talking about. What I don't get is how she seems so fine living around here. There is nothing special. No excitement, no adventure, no nothing. Sometimes I even wonder how she puts up with me. I always gotta put on a show acting like I'm gonna be the big honcho out there someday. And she believes me. So I really gotta prove myself. So really, what am I gonna do if I don't live up to those expectations she has of me? That I made for myself?

"Hey Taylor." I replied. "Up early as usual I see."

"Earlier, actually." she corrected. "I had to help bring in one of the new horses. My father didn't get back till late with the new recruits."

See, Taylor's family mostly works with horses. They train them for those horse competitions round here. Shows, rodeos, races, you get the picture. I think that's also one of the reasons why my folks have been trying to set me up with her. Cause if our families got together then we could work with horses even better and have some kinda business out here or something. Pretty pathetic if you ask me. I wanna use those guys to race against other guys and kick their butts and use it for things like sword fighting. Not hurdling cattle or grooming them or something like that.

"How can ya just sit there every day doing the same thing over and over again?" I asked as milk squirted out of the cow's utter.

"I like working with horses. There's always something different with them and they don't always have the same cases. Not to mention all the breeds we get..." she explained.

I shoulda seen that coming from her. Taylor the brain, that's what everyone seems to call her.

"There's gotta be more to it than all this. Don't you ever wanna get out there?" I asked, looking at her.

She just shook her head. "Chad let's face it. That's impossible." She walked around the cow to its other side and gently stroked its neck. "The grass isn't always greener on the other side."

_I'll be there someday_

_I can go the distance_

_I will find my way_

I rolled my eyes. She said that every time. I swear, this girl's just trying to find a way to keep me here. Like she never wants me to leave or something. What's the big deal anyway? I'm sure there's plenty of other guys round here for her to flirt with or something. Besides why would she flirt with me? It's not like we got something that special. Just friends who might have to hook up in a few years.

"How do you think something like that?" I asked her. "How do ya know how much greener the grass is over there till you see it for yourself? Besides the grass here isn't always that perfect..."

"It's a figure of speech." she replied. "It means that you can't always assume another life would be better than what you have. It's like when the Baylors down the road tried changing from herding sheep to working with bulls. Look at where they are now. They're trying to tame that wild black bull who's always breaking down their fence and escaping."

I shook my head. "It's not the same thing. It's practically the same life. They're in the same town with the same house with the same neighbors with the same boring life. How do you think it's not boring here at all?"

"Because I've got you here. It's never a dull moment with you around." Taylor answered.

_If I can be strong_

_I know ev'ry mile_

_Will be worth my while_

_When I go the distance_

_I'll be right where I belong_

I looked up from the milk and raised an eyebrow at Taylor. It was times like these that I actually didn't understand her. And trust me, this wasn't a conversation she brought up everyday. Guess you could say this was one of the odder days round here. Like something actually happened from the unexpected and almost made the boring life worth while. But if I give it all away then what's the point of you listening to everything now, huh?

I saw Taylor look at me. She walked back to my side of the cow and grabbed the stool next to me, taking her seat. I turned to face her, confused as usual. Yeah, sometimes she could talk circles round me. But then she'd break it down into baby words like I was dumb and then I'd get it. Well...she spoke slowly.

"You never do anything as standard as it should be. You've always got some new way to handle something or look at it like an adventure. It's not always a daily chore to get eggs from the chickens or bring over a newly-trained horse." she explained. "You add some excitement around here. I mean, the basic stuff pretty much doesn't change so yes, maybe sometimes doing the same thing over and over again gets boring. But you never do the exact same thing. It's one mission after another. I know how badly you want to get out of here Chad, but sometimes you're having so much fun in your own little world I wonder if it's worth it for you to even try to leave. For once I'd just like to see what goes on in your head."

I thought about it for a minute. She had a way with words, the girl deserved credit for that. But she almost always did things by the book. I just wondered why she'd wanna see what I saw. What was so special about it to her anyway? Just cause we were friends? No, best friends? Just cause we happened to get along and might hook up one day or happened to be within walking distance of each other unlike everyone else? But the one thing the two of us didn't keep a secret from each other, was that we really cared. Taylor knew I cared about her and I knew she cared about me. Only thing is, sometimes I wonder why she cares so much. Just seems like she cares more than I do sometimes. Am I that oblivious to something?

Finally, I nodded and stood up, taking her hands and pulling her up with me. "Then how about I show you how we train horses round here? My way." I suggested.

Taylor smiled and nodded. She looked down, then up at me, but at what when she looked down I don't really know. "I'd love to."

I smiled and nodded, then let go of her hands and led her to the stables. I coulda sworn I heard her sigh as she followed me, but hello, I'm a daydreamer. Don't trust me on everything I hear.

_Down an unknown road_

_To embrace my fate_

_Though the road may wander_

_It will lead me to you_

I lead one of the horses out of the stables and into the corral. I lassoed a rope briefly before putting it on my belt and grabbing a regular cowboy's hat. Yeah, you knew you saw that comin. "Watch and learn how it's done, Taylor." I saddled up the horse and was about to get on it till she stopped me.

"Wait up Chad." she said. "You have to tie your hair back first."

I smiled and rolled my eyes. Yeah, that would make it easier, I suppose. "Take it away, partner." I said, stepping over to the fence and turning my back to her so she could tie my hair back for me. What? I took it outta the ponytail before we went there. Well...ok, you caught me. The new horse we got really seems to like my hair when it's not tied back. So I had to untie it and use it to lure the horse outta the stable. At least he didn't try to eat it though. So, you happy now that you know the truth? But I gotta say, Taylor's one of the only people I trust to handle my hair. She knows it so well. I mean, when my mom handles it sometimes she can attract knots from my hair and then her fingers get stuck and then my dad has to get the scissors...it ain't a pretty sight. But it's like Taylor memorized every part of my hair, like she knew what parts to avoid and where it was the exact curliest or softest or anything. She had a pretty gentle touch, actually.

As soon as it was done, I ran back over to the horse, this one was named Skipper, and jumped onto him. "Watch and learn how we train a real horse round here Taylor." I called. I grabbed a hold of the reigns and snapped them, which had Skipper running round the circle like some crazy animal. I laughed. This was a bit more of the good life. And this is the part where my daydream kicks in.

"First we gotta create the scene." I explained once Skipper stopped. Yeah, I only had him running around as a warm-up. We weren't gonna start training without loosening up his legs first. "Picture it, Taylor. Skipper and I are in the middle of a battlefield. We're all covered in camouflage and got our all mighty helmets on to protect our faces. The field is deserted with nothin but corpses of men and horses all round us. The trees are dead and the whole place is black. Our army's covered in green and red. And on the other end of the field the troops are all black and red like some dark knights covered in their own flesh." I gotta say, I had my way with words, too. That's how well I can picture everything. "There's one player left standing on each side. It's me against the toughest of the tough of that army. And it's the final battle for the king of that country. A battle to the finish. I'm the good and he's the evil. Where all our years of trainin and practice finally pay off."

_And a thousand years_

_Would be worth the wait_

_It may take a lifetime_

_But somehow I'll see it through_

So now the real training begins. The scene was set and I knew exactly what to do. I pulled my hat down so it was almost covering my eyes and squinted, like I was eying the enemy. I drew my long stick - I mean sword - from my belt and held it with one hand and had a tight grip on Skipper's reigns with my other. Snapping the reigns, Skipper and I charged forward. It was like we were really goin into a battle with an enemy. We ran straight ahead, then I quickly turned his reigns and Skipper broke left. I held up my stick high like I was blocking an attack and pulled harder on the reigns, which had Skipper neighing like a crazy horse and standin on his hind legs. But I had a tight grip on him. He got back down and I could see him kick his hind legs back as soon as his front legs touched the ground. I had him lower his head and swing his tail...yeah, I was good.

_And I won't look back_

_I can go the distance_

_And I'll stay on track_

_No I won't accept defeat_

_It's an uphill slope_

I was completely lost in the daydream now. I had just struck the guy in the arm but he was still goin strong. He was commanding his horse with some dang good skill. He tried to hit me but we ran right in the other direction. Now it was a full-blown sword fight. As soon as he came close to hitting us I got Skipper to back right up. I think I even got him to get down somehow so we could get in a surprise attack.

I could see it all now. As soon as this last guy was taken down I'd go home with open arms. The crowd would go wild and I'd be getting something great in honor of the battle. Like a really big reward. Probably a shiny trophy or a shiny medallion. I'd get my own parade and so much other stuff. I'd be crowned a hero and asked to lead a buncha other teams to some kinda victory. I could see it all now....

_But I won't lose hope_

_Till I got the distance_

_And my journey is complete_

I shot outta my daydream when I heard a scream. Yeah, did you really think it'd last that long? Well lemme tell you, this is exactly the reason why this day was slightly different from most of my days. Most days I'd just keep goin on with the daydream and get interrupted by lunch with my mom and then she'd invite Taylor in to eat with our family and talk about our futures. Yeah, more boring. But it wasn't my mom snapping me out of my daydreams this time. Cause when I came back to reality I could hear Taylor screaming. I knew it was her; I knew her scream anywhere. Hello, we grew up together remember? I know her scream, her laugh, her cry...I think I even know her thinking face. See, she scrunches up her note and puckers her lips into this weird tilted smile like she's all deep in thought.... What the heck am I talking about? I'm not supposed to get distracted. Heck I don't even get distracted...much. You're missing the point. See, I blab when I get nervous or caught off guard, that's why I'm blabbing and getting distracted now.

Ok so I jumped off Skipper and started looking around for Taylor. She wasn't around the corral anymore and she was nowhere in sight. "Taylor?" I called. "Taylor where are ya?"

I jumped out of the corral and left the horse in there, then started running around and looking for her. "Taylor you round here?" I called again. "Taylor!"

Then when I turned behind me there she was, with that black bull right behind her. That trouble making Baylors' bull, of course. I scowled at the mammal...is it a mammal? Well whatever it is, it wasn't making me happy. The bright side was that this was a more entertaining side to this place, finally a chance with more action and a chance to be the big hero! But on the down side, this was my friend we were talking about being in trouble. But now this was my chance to save her. And that bull is looking for a good spanking.

_But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part_

_For a hero's strength is measured by his heart_

_Like a shooting star_

_I can go the distance_

"Yo bull thing!" I called, trying to get its attention. I pulled out my rope and used it like a lasso, grabbing onto one of its horns. "Get away from her and answer to me!"

I almost started getting pulled by the bull. My feet were digging into the ground and I had to grab onto the rope tighter. But was I letting go? Not a chance. This was the action I was looking for. I knew I could beat this bull. If I could hold it down with a lasso with a straight face I could send him right to the moon. Just watch the master and learn.

What? I know I've got it all under control. There's nothing to worry about now.

I let go of the rope and made a run back to the corral. I knew the bull was right behind me. I could hear the hooves on the ground and everything. Ah, the excitement of the chase scene. But when will they ever learn? Even I can do this simple math. One bull plus one me equals one happy girl and a big reward in it for me. Wonder what it could be?

_I will search the world_

_I will face its harms_

_I don't care how far_

_I can go the distance_

Now if there's anything I learned about any kind of animals, it's that to control them and ultimately get them to do what you want, you gotta tire them out first. And with all the exercise I did around here it wasn't too hard to outrun a bull...well, much anyway. I was already on a roll. I'm telling you, I had him on the ropes. I could only smirk as I left Skipper behind and made a run all around the farm. This was the excitement any guy lived for. The chase. The dramatic music. The laughter. The feeling that you could get caught any second but you knew you wouldn't. This is what life was all about. Hey maybe if I was lucky enough this bull could chase me right off the farm and into the city. And I'm not talking like that tall tale about the pig who went to the big city from the little farm. I never thought it was a popular story anyway.

"Oh c'mon, is that as fast as you can go?" I laughed, starting to run in circles. It was the easiest way to tire an animal out after all. if you just ran in a straight line then really, how was that tiring? It didn't take as much energy as running in circles or zig-zags. And this bull was after me, and trust me, I worked out enough to know I had a chance against escaping it. I had lower body strength to spare. But then I looked behind me to see how far I had really lost the bull...and it was gone. I started looking all around, at least where I could see. I know it was right behind me a second ago...

"Chad!"

My head snapped in the other direction hearing Taylor. I know she doesn't have as much lower body strength as I do. I had to catch up and make a mad dash. But why was the bull after her? Neither of us were wearing red or anything...hey was that bull trying to get her or something? Cause really it would never work out that way. I mean think of the kind of species. How would they even...?

Oh crap, there I go again being all distracted while I was supposed to be doing something else. I gotta stop doing that at times like this.

I ran back as fast as I could, trying to figure out which side of the barn they were on. I was so caught up in the chase that I didn't even realize how far I ran or anything. I just hope I tired out the bull enough so it wouldn't hurt Taylor. Luckily it didn't take too long to catch up. I managed to find them. Taylor was backed right up against the wall of the barn and the bull dug its hooves into the ground, ready to charge. But I wasn't about to let that happen.

"Tay look out!" I yelled, pauding only to gather my energy and make yet another mad dash over. I ran just as the bull was preparing to charge. We ran at nearly the same speed and I was begging to get there before it did. I couldn't blame Taylor for not moving; any other person would be too scared to move and inch. Me? I'd just wait until the last possible minute to jump out of the way. And ironically, that was exactly when I made it there. I pushed Taylor out of the way, rolling on the ground and on top of her just before the bull ended up crashing into the wall of the barn.

_Till I find my hero's welcome_

_Waiting in your arms_

I think we were both breathing pretty heavily. She was out of breath, feeling probably real freaked out. I was practically out of energy now. I waited a few seconds, then sat up and pulled Taylor up so we were facing each other sitting on the dirty ground. We were still breathing so neither of us could say much yet. I just stared at her and even though I could see her staring right back I could feel her eyes on me. I couldn't even explain what they were. They were just...on me. Like they were piercing right through me. What was that in them? Concern? Worry? Relief? I couldn't read them.

Finally I opened my mouth to speak but she opened hers at the same time. "Are you ok?"

I smiled and laughed along with her. Wow...amazing how in sync to people can be after almost getting run over by a wild animal huh?

"So...are you ok?" I asked.

"Yeah." she nodded. "Are you?"

"Never better." I chuckled.

"How can you just make a joke like that?" Taylor asked, now really sounding worried. "Did you not see what almost happened?"

"It's called a thrill. That's what we need around here. I was having the time of my life out there." I replied like it was no big deal, which is what I pretty much saw it as. "Did you not see me out there?"

Taylor just took a minute to look at me. I had no idea what was going on in her mind or anything. And this was one of those times where I wish I knew exactly what she was thinking. But I wasn't a mindreader. All I knew for sure was that she really had been worried. I scared her that much?

"I did." she nodded after a long pause. "And I saw that I almost lost you."

I raised an eyebrow out of confusion. "What are you talking about?"

And then she kissed me. Yeah, no joke. Taylor actually kissed me! It was a few seconds, but then I just looked at her even more confused.

"What was...?"

She sighed, like she was trying to find the right words to explain it all with. "I know you don't want much to do with me Chad. I'm nothing more than a friend and I'm alright with that." Taylor explained. "But I've been in love with you for five years. And friend or boyfriend or whatever, I almost lost you to that bull just because you were looking for thrill and excitement. And the truth is that I like living here about as much as you do. But I know there's no getting out of here and I know that I can make a living out of here. But you make everything worth while. You make it all sound like one adventure and you make it sound like it can be the most exciting thing in the world. You may think you need to leave a small place like this and go out to prove yourself...but the truth is Chad, that you never needed to. You don't need to prove yourself a hero to anyone. Because you're already my hero."

I needed a minute to digest that all. Taylor was in love with me. And I was too stupid to even see it. That's why she always looked at me like that. That's why I always looked at her the same way. If I even took two seconds to figure it out, even just once, then I could have looked at her as something more than a friend and wondered what it would be like. But instead she was nothing more than my friend. And now thanks to my daydreaming and carelessness she didn't think we could be anything else. If I even knew what she was thinking for one minute then...well, I don't know what. I never planned on trying to get out of here with someone. It was always just about me. But now it was more than that. How could I even think to be so selfish? All this time I was trying to be someone and prove that I could be this big hero that could save the day when all along I was already someone's hero. My best friend's. And right now, that was more than enough for me.

When I saw she was getting ready to get up, I gently took her wrist and pulled her back down to my level. "Why tell me all this now?" Was all I managed to get out as a response.

Taylor looked like she was thinking for a minute, conjuring up her own response. Then her eyes fell back on me. "Your fun and excitement always seemed so harmless. There were no strings attached or anything. But this time it almost went too far. We could have really been hurt, Chad. You could have really been hurt."

"To protect you, it would've been worth it." I replied. I waited for a minute before I spoke again. "Look...if I'm your hero then that's all I need. I won't need some crowds cheering me on or some big fancy medal or the chance to win this big battle and gain all recognition. Cause you're my best friend and you're the one that matters most. And sister or friend or whatever...I'll still love you all the same."

"You will?" she asked softly, even though I'm pretty sure I saw some doubt in her eyes.

I took my chance to move some of her hair out of her face and then leaned in and gave her a kiss of my own. Just like the one she gave me. "I will." I nodded once I pulled away. "And if you're cool with staying round these parts then I'm just as fine staying right where I am. Cause after today I don't think I'm gonna wanna go anywhere without you."

It wasn't exactly the day I had planned. It didn't happen like all the others did. It wasn't filled with boring chores that I had to make exciting or a lecturing mother or any trips down the road. If anything it was actually the most abnormal day for this place. And I don't think I would've had it any other way. Cause really, when I think about it now, I'm happy for the change. It gave me the chance to realize that if I really did try to find adventure and leave my home I would've left something way more important behind. So figure maybe what, fifty or sixty more years here...it wouldn't be as bad as I thought it would be this morning.

It'd be all the excitement I could ever want.

_I will search the world _

_I will face its harms _

_Till I find mt hero's welcome _

_Waiting in your arms _

_

* * *

_Ok that took really long. Sorry for the wait on this one guys. I had most of it typed up about a week ago and then I didn't finish it till...well, right around now. XD Yeah, twenty to two in the morning when I have an eight am class. Brilliant. But I stayed up late watching HSM3 with popcorn so how was I supposed to be tired? I needed a break from all that schoolwork anyway. So again, sorry to keep you waiting for those of you enjoying these. I know maybe a part or two in this chapter was a bit rushed but it's all to get it done within a semi-reasonable amount of time...and as long as the story's good overall. So, only about three or so more weeks left of school. Until then I'll try and update as frequently as I can. Hope you're enjoying everyone!


	27. BONUS 3

Well we finally have another update for these oneshots don't we? XD Sorry it took me so long, but it's really hard to come up with one idea after reading a song once. I've still got a couple of suggestions from Rockyshadow which, I promise, is going to be one of the next ones. I'm going to try and update these as much as I can now, especially if I have a brainstorm for a song. Anyway, also as a response to Cornique Chaylor Girl's review, yes I would love it if you explained the Hunchback of Notre Dame to me. C= If it's not too much trouble, at least. It already took me probably close to ten years to figure out half the Disney movies I watched when I was a little kid and see what was going on. And just so you knew, there is possibly another story in the works soon but I don't want to balance too many at once or it'll be like it is right now. You know, more attention to one story than another. Not fair. ^^' So yeah, I'm going to shut up now and let you get to the reading.

* * *

"And now it's time for the bride and groom's first dance." the DJ announced. As he moved the microphone away from his mouth, Troy and Gabriella Bolton stepped away from their seats and onto the dance floor. Everyone else took their seats and the rounded tables cloaked in a soft red cloth and looked at the newlywed couple in awe. Gabriella was in a lengthy, flowing white wedding gown which highlighted each and everyone of her curves. Her low white heeled shoes had been discarded off to the side by her and Troy's table, as dancing in them was not as comfortable as she had envisioned. Her hair was slipped back into a small half pony tail with sparkling butterfly shaped barrettes and the rest of her brown wavy hair was down and glistening under the sunlight of the garden wedding. The tall, strapping young man at her side was certainly at his best. Troy's hair was combed perfectly, even more so than it had been every day of his life, so only a few bangs were in his face and, aside from a few loose strands of hair that just had to stick up off the top of his head, rested flat down on his head. A red corsage was tied to his black tuxedo jacket and tied around his neck and at the collar of his white button-down shirt underneath was a light red tie. His black shoes clicked against the dance floor, the tapping of them almost sounding like tap dancing shoes. The young couple faced each other and took their hands in each others' before waiting for the music to play.

"Now isn't that just a lovely sight?" Troy's mother Lucile observed. "Such a darling young couple."

"Agreed." Ms. Montez nodded. "Ah, to be young and in love. Am I right or am I right?" The middle aged woman's eyes were redirected to another couple at their table. Troy's parents and Gabriella's mother had been sitting at the same table, the one Troy and Gabriella had also been sitting at before getting up to share their dance. While it was technically a table reserved for them and their families, that wasn't all that was at the table. For Ms. Montez's eyes were on another young couple at the table, an African American pair to be precise.

But the male didn't seem to stick around too long. As a matter of fact, he looked rather uncomfortable. His incredibly curly brown hair was tied back into a pony tail with not just one, but three rubber bands, so everyone could see his deep brown eyes. His suit was more of an off-white than white, and a gold tie easily stuck out from around the red shirt collar. His shoes were most likely the same pair as Troy's, except in a white shade. He was a pretty strapping young man himself, and judging from his look, as he was always a more casual than dressy kind of guy, he was definitely holding a large part of the wedding. He was none other than Troy's best man, Chad Danforth. Not once did he remove his gaze from the newlyweds; as a matter of fact, it appeared as though that was the only place he was willing himself to look. He didn't meet the glances of anyone else at the table. Instead he slowly removed himself from the chair, trying to keep as quiet and polite as possible.

"Excuse me for a minute." he said, clearing his throat. Chad got around the table and moved to the other side of the garden, but with a few guests still standing and watching Troy and Gabriella it was much too easy to lose sight of Chad.

Well, perhaps the word 'couple' was used quite loosely for the two. They had come to the wedding together, but not as dates. It was merely as the maid of honor and best man. Perhaps way back when they had been a couple, but judging from Chad's escape that was as good as toast. The young woman watched and held in a sigh as she watched Chad leave. She removed her brown eyes from his direction and forced herself to look at her friends. Why Chad wouldn't even bother to look at her was beyond anyone there. To say she was just attractive was an understatement. Her straight black hair went just below her chin and was only lightened by the brunette highlights she had gotten in them just for the occasion. Her long dark yellow, perhaps gold, dress fit her figure perfectly and went almost down to her ankles. A thin red bracelet sat on one of her wrists and around her neck was a gold chain with the letter T attached to it. Her gold low heeled shoes were much more comfortable to walk or dance in, she figured, as she had danced to a few songs throughout the day in them.

**Tale as old as time**

**True as it can be**

As the song began, Troy and Gabriella held each other in their arms and began waltzing to the music. But it wasn't completely the two that the young woman's eyes were on. As soon as the song started she knew she recognized it. It wasn't familiar to her because of the famous singers. It didn't sound like second nature because of the movie it was from. It just so happened that this was a special song to her. Evidently it was to Troy and Gabriella as well, from what she could recall, because it was from the first movie Gabriella saw as a child. But to her it was different. It had started something for her...it ended something as well, but what it started was the first thing that came to her mind. The first thing that actually came to Taylor McKessie's mind was her first date with Chad Danforth.

**Barely even friends**

**Then somebody bends**

**Unexpectedly**

_"Hey."_

_Taylor's head snapped over to Chad, who had somehow found his way to her locker. How that happened she never did figure out. After all, he must have been at the school for all of two weeks tops. Over those two weeks he had gotten close to Troy and likewise, to Gabriella. Even for a new guy and pretty slow for a sixteen year old he could tell Troy and Gabriella were tight. Not to mention it was no secret they were so crushing on each other. But somehow Chad never seemed interested in that. Taylor hadn't been able to put her finger on it before then; all she knew was that instead of looking to Troy for assistance whenever he needed it, he turned to Taylor._

_"Hey..." Taylor replied. She attempted to hide her confused tone from him, still trying to see if she could figure out what brought him over to her locker at the end of the school day. "Is everything ok?"_

_"Yeah. Yeah, totally fine." Chad nodded. "I mean, the school's great. I finally figured out which bathroom was for the guy's."_

_Taylor giggled at this. So the guy had a sense of humor. But part of her had been hoping that he never did set foot in the girl's bathroom. It was horrible in there sometimes, with some girls always checking their makeup or hair and others going into the stalls too much to hide secrets of pregnancies or bulimia. She never did wish to be associated with those kinds of girls._

_"And the rest of the school?" she inquired._

_"I'm getting better at the navigation, I guess. I have you to thank for that." Chad answered._

_"I'm just the substitute tour guide, as your first choice was never able to make a full trip for you." Taylor replied almost modestly. She had quite the tendency to be cocky, but she wouldn't flaunt it to the new guy._

_"Who said I had a first choice?" Chad asked, almost coyly._

_Taylor wasn't going to admit that this confused her. However, it did appear to catch her off guard. "You got close to Troy awfully quickly," she recovered, "I just assumed..."_

_"I can't have guy time all the time." he replied simply. "But I just wanted to stop by over here and thank you for the help."_

_Taylor shook her head, "The pleasure's all mine."_

_"That it is," Chad agreed, "I wish there was something I could do to thank you."_

_"Oh, no. No thanks are necessary. Well...no more thanks, anyway." she responded._

_"Are you sure?" Chad raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I've been getting familiar with the town...my parents said there's this great place that opened up downtown. But it'd be kind of embarrassing to go there alone."_

_"It's kind of a fancy dating area." Taylor recalled, having read numerous reviews about it in only its first week opened. "The only reason anyone goes there alone is to show off how rich they are."_

_"Well then I certainly can't go there on my own." he said. "I'd be honored to escort a date there."_

_She shook her head. Taylor was no dating expert, that was for sure. Her older sister always gave her lessons on dealing with boys and what happens when a girl dates them, but Taylor never had a reason to follow those rules. She was more of an adviser. She's use what she knew of her sister's points of advice and apply them to couples' situations. It had always seemed to work, as after those tips no couple ever broke up. It even worked for quite the lovely gay couple once. If they worked then, they could work any time. But not now; not for Taylor. She had never been on a date, always more concerned with her homework. She was not ready to start now._

_"I know a few girls who happen to be single. I could introduce you to them." she offered instead._

_"That depends on the girls. Are they anything like you?" Chad asked._

_"You ask a lot of questions for a new student around here." Taylor observed._

_"Well I'd like to think I'm asking all of the questions to the right girl." he replied. "Including this one about the date."_

_"A few of them are similar to me, I suppose. Most of the Decathlon team is single, but they bury themselves in their work instead of worry about social lives. Most of the single cheerleaders are really bubbly or total donkeys..." she started._

_Chad chuckled. "Cute."_

_Taylor just looked at him with a quirked eyebrow. Surely she didn't understand. What was cute? And what was he laughing at? After all she did to help this guy, he'd better not be making fun of her. "Excuse me?"_

_"I was asking about you, not your friends." he answered with a smile. "It's cute how you got so lost so easily."_

_"I'll...I'll remind myself to get confused more often." Taylor said, attempting to hold her ground as she moved some bangs away from her face. She was not about to get infatuated with a guy she knew almost nothing about. The three basics she knew about Chad Danforth in two weeks: he was a jock, always talking about sports or watching sports; he was one of the 'special' students who didn't get the best grades and most often went to take exams in another room where they'd be read to him; and he was cute, plain and simple. As far as his romantic life went from his old town, Taylor was as clueless as they came. If she were to get in any kind of relationship now she wished to know what she'd be getting into. She wasn't sure if Chad was a player or a total gentleman or anything. For all she knew he was a bad boy in disguise. That was the last kind of guy she'd like to go on a date with, to even have a conversation with._

_"You do that. I like how you scrunch up your nose when you get confused." Chad said._

_Taylor blinked. She never even realized she did that; it was always an involuntary reaction. Alright, so Chad was noticing the little things about her. That was always good. But that wasn't going to get him to make a move so easily._

_"So Taylor, will you do me the honor of being my date to dinner this evening?" he asked, holding out his hand._

_**Just a little change**_

_**Small to say the least**_

_**Both a little scared**_

_**Neither one prepared**_

_**Beauty and the Beast**_

_Taylor wasn't sure how or why, but it didn't take long for her to agree. Even though by the time she got home every part of her body was screaming that the night was a disaster waiting to happen she couldn't help but feel nervous for the date. It must have been a reaction for all girls on date one with any guy. What to wear, what to say, what to do...all the basics. It took Taylor at least two hours to decide on an outfit to wear. She kept jumping from outfit to outfit to outfit. It was the inner battle of looking too casual or too dressy. Considering the place they'd be dining at, Taylor knew any form of casual was out. So going for a more dressy/elegant look she began digging through her dresses. First a powder blue dress. She analyzed every inch of it carefully. It highlighted her curves and perhaps gave her that 'take me now' look, but that wasn't what she was going for. It was a bit too revealing for her taste, with it being strapless and a bit too short. Then there was a sparkling lavender dress. It highlighted her curves and it went down to her feet. But even with the highest of high heels she could possibly walk in, not only was she uncomfortable, but she was risking tripping over the dress. Then a red dress with diamond patterns; it was strapless but not revealing and went down to about her knees. It was definitely a good choice. Just when she was about to do her hair to match the attire, her eyes fell on a bright dress hanging from her closet. The dress wasn't exactly full, but it wasn't tight either. It was a bright yellow dress with thick straps that, if they didn't grasp her shoulders then they would surely stay at the edges. A few sparkles surrounded the bottom of the dress and a thick gold ribbon went around the waist to tie it all together. Surely the dress was perfect._

_But as Taylor sat at her vanity running her brush through her hair she couldn't help but stare at herself. It wasn't a look that said, "oh my God I look hot" or "is this really the best that I have?" but rather a look she was giving to herself. It was all about why she was doing this. Why was she going to so much trouble to look good? Why was she so worked up about a date with a guy she barely knew? There had to be something behind it._

_And the longer Taylor stared at herself the more she was able to figure it out. She knew Chad better than she thought. He liked sports. His favorite colors were blue, gold, and orange. He never touched the vegetables at lunch because he talked about how when he was six he threw up from eating day old broccoli. He freaked out in science class when he thought one of the class mice escaped, so clearly he had a fear of mice. He was always late because he never wore a watch. And he must have really liked girls because every time she and Chad sat next together he ended up looking over her shoulder and at her notes. But did he do that with any other girls or was it just her?_

_Taylor just shook her head as she pulled up a portion of her hair into a bun and leaving the rest on her shoulders. "Ok, so maybe I like him a little," she admitted to herself, "but this is some stroke of luck. He's thanking me for getting him acquainted with the school. Nothing more." She even looked at herself in the mirror again to be sure of it._

_**Ever just the same**_

_**Ever a surprise**_

_**Ever as before**_

_**Ever just as sure**_

_**As the sun will rise**_

_It was only a few hours later that Taylor stepped into the restaurant. She had agreed to meet Chad there but part of her was still hoping that he wouldn't end up standing her up. Then, glancing around the restaurant, she almost forgot why she was there. The place must have been built in marble or some other expensive material, and around almost every five tables was a gorgeous gold chandelier hanging from the ceiling which was painted in pure white. The floor tiles were perfect for dancing and the tables must have had velvet or satin cloths covering them and at least one candle centered, if not a single rose._

_"Like it?"_

_Taylor snapped out of her trance over the whole scene and turned to Chad. "Yeah..." she managed to reply, wondering how he snuck up behind her so quickly. When did he even get there?_

_"Our table's waiting for us then." Chad replied with a smile. He held out his hand to her, "May I escort you?"_

_Taylor was silent for a minute. She was so taken in by Chad's appearance. But as soon as she took his hand and followed him over to their table, she was able to get a much better look at him. His hair was tied back tight into a pony tail and actually looked like it was combed. The tuxedo he had on was probably more of a velvet blue jacket and matching pants with a white t-shirt underneath, but he still looked so nice in it. It wasn't ripped or dirtied in the least. And looking down at his feet, Chad wasn't even in sneakers. Instead he was wearing a nice pair of black shoes. Her eyes moving up, she took a closer look at his jacket. It appeared to be outlines with a thin yellow strip around the edges and the single pocket on the left side didn't even have a tissue in it. Every button was buttoned up and not even the t-shirt underneath seemed to have an open button. This could not be normal at all for him._

_As soon as they were seated, not even Chad could take his eyes off of Taylor. "You look radiant in that dress."_

_She paused for a minute, trying to ignore the heat rushing to her cheeks. "Thank you...." Taylor honestly hadn't expected him to say that, nothing like that. She just thought he'd say something simple like pretty. But obviously he thought must more of it. "You look pretty dashing yourself."_

_Chad chuckled and shook his head. "Nah. It's my dad's old prom tux." he admitted. "If I wanted to afford this place I wouldn't have been able to buy my own."_

_"We could have gone somewhere else for a thank you dinner..." she started._

_"You think that's all this is? Just a dinner to say thanks for all your help?" he asked._

_Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Well...isn't it?"_

_Chad didn't say anything right away. It was difficult to read his reaction. Was he just surprised or taken back? Maybe she had said something to hurt him? But then why would he find a question like that hurtful? After all the time Taylor took to convince herself that it wasn't really a date...was she wrong about something?_

_"Yeah. I guess it is." he finally answered. Then he started looking right through the menu. He didn't even pick his head up to make eye contact with her._

_Taylor blinked. She watched Chad nearly bury his face in the menu. He gripped onto it, barely ever once looking anywhere else. Taylor suddenly felt uncomfortable, wondering if her response had something to do with Chad's sudden reaction. He gave off almost...a disappointing aura of sorts. He had really expected this to be an actual date, didn't he? And maybe at first Taylor did as well, but then she had to go and convince herself that she was just getting dressed up for a friend. And she was giving Chad the impression that she wasn't interested in him. But maybe she was. Maybe she wanted to get to know him better and maybe really do become more than friends with him. But she couldn't prove that merely by just sitting around and watching him, not to mention telling him they weren't on a date. So instead of sitting down and figuring out what to do, she went out on a limb and acted out spontaneously. She got up from her chair and went across the table so she was standing next to Chad's seat. Then she held out her hand to him and her voice snapped Chad's head in her direction._

_"Would you like to dance?"_

_Chad didn't say anything right away. He just stared at Taylor. Aside from the faint music in the background, there was nothing. It was then that Taylor assumed she had made a mistake by asking. It was too late now, most likely. Chad was just going to treat her to dinner and then leave. There was nothing else to it. Taylor almost wondered why she even asked him to dance now. Yet, much to her surprise, he put the menu down on the table and took her hand._

_"It'd be my pleasure." he replied._

_The two walked over to the dance floor as the familiar tune beginning bouncing off the walls of the room. They each held a hand and Chad placed his other one on Taylor's waist while she placed her other one on his shoulder. They began slow dancing to the music even though Taylor was leading more than Chad was. Clearly this wasn't his strong point. At first they weren't even standing the correct distance form each other. But the longer the song went on the closer the two of them got. By the time the song was almost over Chad had his arms completely around Taylor and she had rested her head on his chest. They just danced around in a circle to the gentle music and let themselves relax. Suddenly the date didn't seem like such a bad idea anymore. Taylor felt glad that she went along with it. Now that just meant getting through dinner._

_"I'm having a really great time." she told him as they walked back to the table when the song was over._

_"So this isn't a thank you dinner anymore?" Chad asked, almost with a hopeful tone._

_Taylor couldn't help but giggle. So he was a charming, athletic, and funny guy. But she had a feeling there was so much more to him than that. "I don't think it ever was."_

_Chad smiled as he pulled out the chair for her so she could sit back down. "Hey...I know it's still a little early in the game but do you believe in second dates?"_

_She turned her head towards Chad, who was now standing next to the chair. Taylor thought it over for a minute. "I really think we should finish getting through this one first." she replied._

_"Consider the message taken then." he nodded as he started back to his chair. But he didn't get very far, because after taking not even three steps, Taylor gently tugged on one of his sleeves._

_"So that's it then?" she quirked an eyebrow. "You do what a girl tells you to and it's done?"_

_Chad made a thinking face as he turned back to her...even if it didn't look completely serious. "I like to keep the ladies happy. If I open my big mouth too much then they get annoyed and it's bye-bye Chad."_

_"You forgot one minor detail," she informed him, "You didn't open up your big mouth tonight."_

_Another smile crept onto Chad's face, almost as though he knew where this was going. "So then about that second date...?"_

_Taylor only smiled back and reached up to him, pecking him gently on the cheek. "Does that answer your question?"_

**Ever just the same**

**Ever a surprise**

**Ever as before**

**Ever just as sure**

**As the sun will rise**

Taylor returned to the current time and continued watching her friends share their dance. The way they moved reminded her so much of her first date with Chad, even though they held each other so close from the start. Why did they have to pick this song out of all songs?

"You know, Gabriella did mention how she'd love to have some company out there." Ms. Montez whispered to Taylor. "She's going to have two whole weeks with Troy to herself, and they'll probably do much more dancing than they are now. Why don't you grab a partner and join her and Troy?"

Taylor looked at Gabriella's mother and shook her head. "That's very nice of both of you to offer, but this is one of her's and Troy's big moments. No one can possibly interrupt it."

"Hm...that is a shame. Considering the part that their two best friends happen to have such a big part in the wedding." Ms. Montez replied, almost as though she were trying to tempt Taylor with the suggestion. "You've all been inseparable since you've met, so why start now? I'm sure there's at least one young man here you'd like to share a dance with."

Taylor moved some hair behind her eat. Maybe a portion of that was true, just a small portion, but after it all ended she knew it would never work out again. As far as she saw it, she was better off looking for someone else. The whole her and Chad thing...it was just temporary. A truce, if you will. If she danced with him it would most likely be on a conga line. There was always a conga line at a wedding, especially for those who arrived dateless.

Taylor finally shook her head and let herself speak once more after thinking it all over. "No...no, thank you Ms. Montez. I couldn't possibly."

But Gabriella's mother knew better. Taylor and Gabriella had been friends since they were in diapers, at least. Ms. Montez was like a second mother to Taylor, even if she still showed her respect by calling her Ms. Montez. Troy's mother, on the other hand, was always more insistent on being called by her first name when any of Troy's friends were around.

"Well that's such a shame," Ms. Montez shook her head, "Because I do believe you're depriving a young man."

Taylor raised an eyebrow at her and then looked around. Who could she possibly be talking about? Everyone was still in awe watching Troy and Gabriella, or else eating or eying someone else around, a few friends or family members were recording the dance, people were sitting down or running to go to the bathroom or texting on their phones.... Wait, what was that? Chad was coming back over. He walked past the dance floor...and apparently changed clothes. He wasn't in the same outfit that he was before. Instead he wore a suit that resembled the one from their first date so well. The jacket was a deep blue with thin yellow lining around the collar, he was wearing a much nicer white shirt underneath with every single button buttoned, and only the top two buttons on his jacket were open. The cuffs were rolled up slightly, revealing the same thin yellow lining underneath, and a small portion of the white shirt was sticking out from underneath. The pants were matching the blue shade of the jacket perfectly, minus anything yellow, and while they were just a tad big a black belt was just visible enough to reveal that it was strapped tight around his waist. His shoes, however, were the only portion of his attire that hadn't changed. But why Chad did change the rest of him was beyond Taylor. She just stared at him wondering what on Earth was going through his mind. But then she remembered them. How it all ended. Things had gone so well with them and it was all thrown out the window. Taylor was not about to go back to that. Not now.

**Tale as old as time**

**Tune as old as song**

_"I can't believe you actually did that! What was going on through your head?"_

_"Well to have you yell at me like this, apparently nothing!"_

_"People don't just do what you did without thinking."_

_Chad groaned and ran his hand through his head. He was trying to hard to defend himself, but then again why wouldn't anyone do the same in that situation? Taylor had just found out something about him that she despised and was now taking it out completely on him. And surely enough, she was showing him no mercy. All Chad was doing was standing there, at times pacing around, and taking her yelling followed by numerous rather loud retorts of his own. Everything had been going to perfectly for them up until now. And the key point in now, was only a short time before the conclusion of their senior year in high school._

_"Why in heck would you ever even steal that to begin with?" Taylor continued to question him, her hands on her hips._

_"My family needed the money. Why else would a person steal something?" Chad retorted._

_"Plenty of reasons! They're crooks. They're selfish. They want money. They sell illegal products...plenty of reasons!" Taylor snapped. "You're just another one of them. How did I not see that before?"_

_Chad held up his hand, as if to get her to stop talking - or rather, yelling. "You honestly think I'm nothing now but some low life scumbag?"_

_"You might as well be. Chad that was a diamond necklace you stole! Do you know how expensive those things are?" Taylor questioned._

_"I know plenty well. That's why it was the only thing I took. And I sold it before I could even get caught." he replied._

_"You could still get caught. People can contact the police, Chad. They will find out who sold the stolen diamond necklace and they will track you down." Taylor informed him. "How could you be so stupid?"_

_"What else was I supposed to do, Taylor? Let my folks starve themselves?" Chad argued. "My mom's getting sick and my dad lost his job. I can't even afford to start college."_

_"Then you get a job and make your own money like a normal person!"_

_"That would take too long. I'd go at least a week without getting a paycheck. My parents can't wait."_

_"What about your father looking for another job?"_

_"Don't you think he's tried that? We're practically flat broke, Tay."_

_"So is this how you grew up before you moved here?"_

_"I can't believe you'd even ask that! In our first three dates I practically told you every detail of my life before moving here!"_

_Taylor sighed heavily. This argument was leading to nowhere except more fighting and a pretty nasty breakup. But honestly, the girl couldn't handle this anymore. She couldn't deal with it. She actually thought Chad was a good guy. A good, decent guy. But was he? No. Because just ten minutes ago she found out what he had done and knew that not only was he in for it, but he was a thief and could get arrested and, if his parents had as little money as he claimed, he'd be forced to live in jail for x amount of years. That was not the kind of guy Taylor didn't want to be associated with. She wanted to be done with Chad and end it once and for all._

_"So what were you going to do when you used up all the money from selling the necklace? Steal some more stuff and sell those?" she asked._

_"You know what I've been going through. Why can't you just stand by me?" Chad questioned._

_"I refuse to stand by a thief! That's all you are, Chad." Taylor replied. "What's next, you're going to tell me that everything you have me was stolen, too?"_

_"That was before we had any money issues. When I was actually able to get you stuff and take you places." Chad answered angrily. "How do I not know that the only reason you were ever with me was to just get what you wanted?"_

_"That's preposterous and you know it!" she gasped. "I was with you because I liked you and I was actually stupid enough to go out with you. I'm not making that mistake again."_

_"So being with me is a mistake now." Chad concluded. "Is that what you're saying?"_

_Taylor rolled her eyes ad folded her arms. "Yes, Chad. That's exactly what I'm saying. So glad you finally figured it out."_

_"You're being a witch!" he yelled._

_"And you're nothing more than a crook! Don't expect me to visit you in jail, Chad, because I want nothing more to do with you. At all." Taylor demanded._

_"You know what, forget you. I'm not even going to jail." Chad fought. "I'm gonna keep doing what I have to, to support my parents and you're not gonna stop me. If you can't stand by me then you're not good enough for me."_

_"Well for you to stoop as low as you did, you were never good enough for me. I deserve so much better!"_

_"Well then maybe I deserve worse!"_

_"Maybe you do!"_

_"Go to hell!"_

_Taylor shook her head and slowly began taking steps back. This fight was getting out of control. The fire of competition was bright in their eyes and Taylor could see in Chad's that if they kept it up the way they were now, it was going to get ugly. Uglier than it already was. That was the last thing Taylor wanted. She thought she knew what she wanted. She thought she could trust Chad. She thought she had misread him in the beginning. But unfortunately, her suspicions were always on track. She wouldn't be surprised if this was how he was raised before he moved. And then to go two and a half years without resorting to stealing again was truly a miracle. But the thief couldn't be taken out of Chad's body and Taylor certainly wasn't going to live that life. Not now, not ever, not with Chad. She was done with him and it was clear that if he dropped dead right then and there she wouldn't care. Whether Chad's intentions were good or bad didn't matter to her. There were more honest ways to earn money and Taylor thought that Chad would go that way instead of the dark path. But she was incorrect. There was no hope for him, and that evidently meant no hope for them._

_"No, Chad. You go to hell. Because that's all you'll ever see from now on. You made a choice and maybe it was right for your family but it was wrong for you and it was wrong for us. I'm not going to stand around here and deal with you anymore. And if you're looking to hit someone then don't you dare raise your fist at me. Because I swear on my father's grave that I will have your head for it and you will regret what you did." Taylor explained. But she wasn't about to stop there. "If you ever see me around town, don't talk to me. When you pass by my house, don't look at it. When you see anything I gave you in your home, throw it out. When you talk to any of my friends don't ask them about me. And when you're caught and sent to jail don't bother to call me. Because I will curse you out and hang up before you even get in one syllable."_

_And that about did it. She said everything that she wanted to and had to. Taylor had spoke her mind and that was all there was to it. She no longer cared about Chad and as far as she knew, he cared about her for squat. So now it was over for good. She shook her hand once more and said just barely above a mutter, "Good-bye Chad," before turning on her heel and walking away, leaving him where he was in utter silence._

**Bitter sweet and strange**

**Finding you can change**

**Learning you were wrong**

Snapping back into reality once more, Taylor's eyes fell on the man who was now approaching her. It was indeed Chad. How, after such a nasty breakup, they had even agreed to a truce for this particular day, was beyond her. After the fight she hadn't spoken to him until all the major planning for the wedding began. All that time Taylor had done her best to refrain herself from looking at him and talked to him as little as possible. But nothing was avoidable forever, and surely this proved it true. Chad was stepping over to her, so slowly it must have been in slow motion, and his eyes were on nothing else except her. There was passion in them so that meant he did have a goal for the day. What it was, no one could probably figure it out. Taylor was about to find out and she was going to do everything within her power to stop it. It didn't matter how much he looked like the guy she first fell for or how sincere the passion in his eyes were. What mattered to her was what he did. And after all those years she hadn't forgiven him. She had just kept asking herself, what if it was her that Chad needed the money for? If anything, the fight would have been even worse and more brutal that it originally was.

Finally, through the song's half way mark, Chad stopped dead in his tracks at the table. His eyes were still on Taylor, but her arms were folded as she refused to meet his gaze. Even a monkey could tell she was still ticked, and there was that slight chance that Chad didn't blame her. But his goal for the day involved her and it didn't look like anything was going to stop him. But rather than a deep, angry, forceful voice escaping his lips, a more soft and relaxed tone left them.

"Our best friends want us out there with him."

And still Taylor didn't look at him. Heck, she didn't even move an inch. She was a stubborn one, everybody was aware of that. But Chad was just as stubborn. They would go all day having one staring contest if they could. So naturally, when Taylor didn't answer, Chad spoke again.

"Care to join me?" he asked, holding out his hand.

**Certain as the sun**

**(Certain as the sun)**

**Rising in the East**

Taylor wasn't sure how or why she even agreed to it, but in no time at all she was dancing to the song with Chad. This was the guy that she never wanted to deal with, let alone see, again and yet there they were together on the dance floor. Taylor refused to make eye contact with him at all times. The highest she would look up at him was his chin. Even when Chad spoke, her eyes wouldn't meet his.

"I, uh...I never got to tell you how radiant you look today." he said.

"Thanks." was her flat reply. "You're not too bad either."

Chad sighed. Obviously this was going worse than he pictured. But what could he do to turn it around? That was the question. "If it makes you feel any better, I did go to jail after we broke up." he finally stated.

"Oh, so the cops managed to catch you." Taylor replied coolly.

"They didn't catch me. I gave myself up." he told her.

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Chad sighed. Nothing could be kept secret from Taylor for too long. This was one of those things. "I thought about what you said and if the coppers really were after me then I wasn't gonna sit around and wait for them to find me. I gave myself up and told them my parents had the money. And since it was my first violation they said I either did the time in jail or worked for the money back while under major patrol and do a ton of community service." he explained.

"Dare I ask what you did and how you got the money back?" Taylor inquired.

"I took the working and community service patrol." Chad replied. "And I worked off the debt at a strip club."

"You? A stripper?" she was ready to burst laughing at the thought. "You could never dance for beans."

"When the mind is willing and there's enough motivation, a guy makes things work." Chad sighed. "Lowest of the low I ever was in my lifetime."

"I can imagine." Taylor rolled her eyes.

Chad nodded. "So does that mean we're still on the same basis then?"

"Expand." she told him.

"Things between us...is this the ending part of our truce and then we go back to not having anything to do with each other again?" he asked.

"Why would I ever want anything to do with you again?" Taylor quirked an eyebrow.

"You can stop being harsh now. I can take a hint."

"So why don't you take it now?"

"Sue me for wanting to finish one last dance with you."

"Then hurry up and finish it so you can leave."

"Why are you being icier than usual to me Taylor?"

**Tale as old as time**

**Song as old as rhyme**

**Beauty and the Beast**

Taylor didn't answer at first. What she really needed to do was conjure up just the right response. While the answer was obvious, she was one to always think of the proper response before answering. It was quite the opposite of Chad, who had to act before he thought instead. Now the issue was explaining this slowly, as though she were talking to a three year old, at least. That was the real challenge.

"I think I have a good reason to be." she said simply.

"I don't follow." he shook his head.

"And yet I'm not surprised." Taylor replied sarcastically.

He sighed. "Then just give it to me straight."

"What if it was me you were trying to get the money for instead of your parents? I kept trying to put myself in their shoes and imagine what it must feel like to have someone you love end up a thief just because they need a little extra money. It doesn't just drag the thief down, stealing something and then selling it to make a few extra bucks. It brings everyone they care down with them and they don't care because they were selfish lowlifes. You were no better, Chad." she explained. "That's all you were for doing that one action. A lowlife. Obviously you didn't care about your future so why should anyone else? And whether you learned your lesson or not, what's to stop you from doing the same thing again when you need more money? Answer me that."

But Chad didn't answer. All he did was just stare at her wide-eyed. If he weren't dancing right now he wouldn't be moving. Chad was a walking statue. But somehow he managed to shake his head and get one sentence out of his mouth, "I'm sorry, you lost me after you said 'someone you love'."

Taylor shrugged her shoulders. She had completely tuned herself out, not even realizing what had come out of her mouth in the middle of all of that. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"You said 'someone you love'." Chad repeated. He paused for a minute before talking again, but if the pause were to keep himself from stammering then it did no good. "Are you trying to say you love me?"

Now Taylor understood. Theoretically, she had confessed her love for Chad. But it was the past tense, wasn't it? that had to have meant she was over it. And she was...or so she kept telling herself. But all Taylor had thought of over the years when she thought of Chad was that one bad thing that he did. Thinking about it now, he really hadn't done anything else wrong. Everyone was entitled to one huge mistake in their lives but not everyone learned from it. Chad said that he did and sounded awfully sincere about it. Perhaps that's what threw Taylor off guard. But she couldn't let herself be a sitting duck, not now. Taylor had to make a counter and fast.

"No. No of course not." she shook her head quickly. "Why would I possibly love you now? After all this time of hating you, do you really expect my feelings to make a complete turn like that?"

And somehow Chad got the message. He stopped dancing and removed his hands from Taylor. While she had temporarily made eye contact with him, Chad was now the one refusing to look her in the eyes. "You're right." he said with a single nod. "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking." He took one brief look at her and shook his head. "I'm sorry Taylor." Not letting anything else come out of his mouth, he turned around and left her alone on the dance floor while somehow everyone watching was completely oblivious to their whole conversation.

**Tale as old as time**

**Song as old as rhyme**

**Beauty and the Beast**

Something suddenly didn't feel right. As soon as Chad backed away from her, Taylor could feel a cool breeze brushing up against her arms. Yet it wasn't cold in the least. It was fairly warm, in fact. But then where did the cool air suddenly come from? And why did no one else seem to feel it? Normally, a reaction to the cold would be to pull one's body in closer or cuddle close with someone special and keep warm. But looking around, no one was doing that. Everything was exactly the same. So then why did Taylor feel so different? So isolated? She rubbed her arms, right where Chad's hands had been before he walked away.

And then it hit her. And it seemed so idiotic. She had finally gotten used to being near Chad again. She finally got comfortable with being in his arms again. And now he was gone. But the question now became, why did she suddenly feel this way? Was it something one of them said? Was it something they were doing involuntarily? Whatever the reason was, Taylor found herself in an epiphany, her sudden realization. She liked being in Chad's arms. He always had a way of making her feel safe and protected. One would think with his muscles and strength he'd have such a tight grip but instead he always held her so gently. Taylor liked that. She liked that feeling when his skin brushed up against liked the relaxed aura around him. She just plain liked being around him. Looking around quickly, Taylor was lucky enough to spot him through a minor crowd around the dance floor. He hadn't gotten too far now; there was still time to stop him. Rushing off the dance floor, she pushed her way through the group that was blocking her way.

"Chad! Chad, wait up." she called.

Somehow he got the message. Chad halted where he was and turned to face her. His facial expression seemed stoic, or like he was trying to hide something, and his hands were in his pockets. And now that he was standing there, Taylor wasn't going to let him get away. She continued her way towards Chad until she was a mere few feet in front of him.

"We didn't get to finish our dance." was what came out of her mouth.

Chad shrugged his shoulders. "You didn't seem interested. Why would you want to date a lowlife like me? Or dance with me? Or even talk to me?"

"Chad..." she started.

"Hold on, let me continue for you." he went on to say. "I'm a crook, a thief, a no-good-doer, an a-hole, and a worthless scum. I am nowhere near good enough for perfect little you because I'm nothing but a beast."

"No, you're not. You're not any of those things. And I'm not perfect." Taylor shook her head.

"All that seemed true to me." Chad muttered. He was about to turn again when Taylor put a hand on his shoulder, a polite command telling him to stay put.

"It's not." She shook her head. "No one is perfect Chad, including me. I kept putting you down and clawing at you because I really thought what you did was wrong. I acknowledged that your heart was in the right place, but for me that wasn't good enough. It was always the mind over the heart for me. Every time I open my mouth I speak from my mind. No my gut or my heart, but from my mind. And my heart should have had a say in it because that was all of you that had a say in it. You're not perfect Chad, and neither am I. I'm a know-it-all, stubborn, independent, a perfectionist..." Taylor paused to gather all of her thoughts together in one sentence, the simplest possible way to sum it all up. "If anyone truly is the beast here, Chad, it's not you. It's me."

Chad just stared at her. He seemed so surprised like it was the last thing he expected her to say. Yet he slowly gathered himself together and allowed himself to reply. "You're not a beast, Taylor. Not even close. I mean, what I did was wrong on so many levels...."

"But your intentions were good. You know what you did was wrong regardless of those intentions and you made up for it." Taylor interrupted. "I should have accepted that instead of going on like you never even apologized."

"Well if it's any constellation, I never should've even thought about doing that and I should've at least apologized in the first place." Chad replied. "But I'm not just sorry for stealing the necklace and getting my folks in trouble and I'm not sorry that they kicked me out of their lives."

Taylor folded her arms and shrugged, finding her curiosity peaked by his statement. "So then what are you sorry about?"

Chad sighed; he didn't even need a minute to think about his response. "I'm sorry about what it did to us. And I'm sorry we lost contact for so long because it made us hate each other."

Taylor shook her head. "Chad...I understand how you feel. but you already apologized. You don't need to again."

"Then just tell me if there's anything I can do to fix us." Chad replied. "I went to change so I could sweep you off your feet and make up for all the time we lost because we were beasts. I'd kind of hate to see it all go to waste."

Even now Chad's heart was in the right place. Taylor couldn't help but smile at him. "Maybe we can get some of that time back with a dance then?"

Chad returned the smile. He was clearly overjoyed. "I'd be honored."

He took her hand in his and led her back over to the dance floor. There was just enough time left in the song to finish their slow dance. They held each other even closer than they did before, feeling the warmth of one against the other. Everything felt just like it was before. All they had to do was reason with each other and find that common ground they'd been missing for so long. And it felt good. It felt good to have the past behind him and to finally look each other in the eyes and see the truth. And it wasn't long before the pair shared a heated, passionate kiss. For the first time all day, the crowd was drawn away from the bride and groom, the real stars of the show, and couldn't stop themselves from turning away. They stood their witnessing the slowly heating make-out session between the best man and maid of honor. Everything had fallen right into place. Things were perfect again. Now they'd have to make up the time they missed even more, the second the wedding ended. And as all of those thoughts ran through their heads, everyone around them couldn't help but think the same thing.

It was about time.

**Beauty and the Beast**

* * *

And there we have it! At long last another chapter! In case it was difficult to figure out, this version of Beauty and the Beast was performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson. I do not own the song or the lyrics but I sure do love it. XD I was planning on using this song eventually and...I don't know, just had a random brainstorm for it. But I was writing it in parts while working on two other chapters for different stories, hence why it took about a week to type. Again, I apologize big time. The first couple of weeks of summer have been kind of crazy too cause I've been with my friends so much. This chapter was kind of long but I hope it goes over well. I will now shut up and if I know what's good for me, next free second I get I'd better continue working on the other chapters I have.


	28. Heart

Ok I know Im' gonna get my head bitten off at some point for not doing this story in a while. XD But honestly I didn't know when I'd get back to this. I still have the suggestions that Rockyshadow kindly sent ages ago but every time I look at the songs I just draw a total blank. I know I can do something with "Something there" but due to the Beauty and the Beast story I also have going, that song will be going up soon and I don't want there to be an overload or something. I think another request was "I'm Wishing" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and honestly, I'm so beyond clueless about that. And "Love" from Robin Hood, I keep looking at the song cause I've heard it before but every time I turn the idea i have down because it's totally suckish. And it's funny with "True to Your Heart" because I also know there's a few different versions and I happened to watch the ending of Mulan today on Disney Channel, but the original version from that movie, though I never heard the entire song, I don't think I can get into it. But I did read the lyrics and I might've had something so I searched Youtube to hear the song just in case. One of the first versions I found was by Raven-Symoné and honestly, it gave me a total brainstorm so I really hope I can recreate the visions I got from hearing the song. So at long last, here we go. i do not own anything!

* * *

**True to your heart**

**you must be true to your hear**

**That's when the heavens will part**

**And baby, shower you with my love**

If there was one thing that Chad Danforth would never admit to anyone out loud, it's that he was a hopeless romantic. He grew up on the old-fashioned Disney movies and fairy tales so he always had the belief in a 'happily ever after'. And while no one would ever believe it, he did believe in love at first sight. It was a funny thing, actually. The guy that we're talking about is an arrogant, selfish, cocky, spoiled, trouble-making jock. But that was merely one side to Chad. There was a side that no one else dared to see, that few have ever even rarely seen. He had another side to him. It was a more loving, sweet, supporting, romantic, protective side. Not even a single girl had seen that side of Chad. For the most part anyway. If there was anything Chad had learned in his seventeen years of existence it's these three simple things.

One: Life can change in a second. It doesn't give you a heads-up like some kind of warning sign in a movie. It just happens, and you don't get any chances to adjust to it. you have to sit back, let it happen, and slowly adapt to the change life has handed you.

Two: Girls love a man in uniform. Not only has it been seen in movies, but Chad has seen it first hand. His father was a cop, and when his mother wasn't around Chad could see all the ladies making their strange goo-goo eyes at his father. Boy would that ever make mama jealous if she saw that. There was just something about it that made a man look dignified. Respected, even. It showed they had strength and authority.

Three: Love doesn't just work in strange ways, but it's also different for everyone. For some people time just stops or everything happens in slow-mo and there's no one else around but the person of your dreams. For other people, the heart begins to speed up, perhaps even cause you to hyperventilate, and then you pass out the minute the love of your life talks to you. But for Chad, he had his own way of knowing. There would be this strange light hanging over her from seemingly out of nowhere, there would be this huge dramatic pause to give him the chance to either make a move or snap out of it, and at least five mini cupids would be circling his head like he got hit heard with their arrows.

**Baby, I know at once that you were meant for me**

**Deep in my soul I know that I'm your destiny**

The first time that Chad ever experienced something like that was unbelievable. And with the last possible person that anyone would ever picture him to be with. The person who was his complete opposite in practically every possible way. Except for the stubbornness, everyone knew they were both that. That's besides the point. The point was, Chad was lovestruck by the one person not even his best friend would suspect. It was one thing when they were younger. You know how it is with children; they all think cooties exist. Chad was no exception. He thought that girls were covered in them and would hardly ever think to talk to a girl. Puberty hit in middle school and he started looking at everything differently. Yes, girls did become quite attractive and yes, he did start working on his flirting. But that was all he did. Flirt. He never asked anyone out, so he certainly never asked anyone to be his girlfriend. Some assumed that it meant he liked guys. Chad said it was ridiculous. He said he was waiting for the right girl. Anyone can imagine how that went over with the guys. They cracked up. It was a hint of Chad's romantic side, but no one could bring themselves to believe he really had one.

But then he saw her.

Chad remembered the day perfectly. He was heading down the hall with his books to head to basketball practice. Or maybe it was to head to his locker to get out his basketball. It had something to do with the sport. Alright, that's all Chad could recall before laying eyes on her. The point is, he had stopped dead in his tracks. There she was at her locker, carefully and diligently placing all of her books inside or taking her needed ones out. Her dark brown hair went down to about her shoulder and the ends of her hair almost had the gentlest of waves to them. Her skin was the same shade as his, a deep cocoa color, and her figure was remarkable. Not too thin and not too obese. The curves were just in the right place. Her style was nothing but the classiest and her hair almost always had a headband in it. There was a way in which she used her hands to move her bangs out of her face or tuck loose strands of hair behind her ear; it made Chad just want to go over and do it himself. And he couldn't even begin to say how much he adored her eyes or her luscious lips. Both very full, and her eyes the deepest shade of chocolate he ever did see.

Chad had known Taylor McKessie almost his entire life. But before that day he never gave her two looks. He wasn't sure what it was. Maybe it was how much she'd grown or developed, or maybe something inside him had finally come to realize that she's the one. He just ended up freezing in his place, that was one of the ways he was able to know what he was feeling. But that was only what any guy would probably feel. There was this lively glow surrounding her that made him feel so week in the knees and he almost felt like keeling over when he could have sworn that arrow went right through his heart. And finally, there was a beautiful angelic choir in the background...which he found out shortly after that it was the choir practicing to sing at the upcoming graduation. And the next thing he knew, Taylor was waving her hand in front of his face.

"Chad? Are you alright?"

It took Chad a few moments but he had finally been able to snap out of it. To a degree, of course. Remember, he was staring at his love over here. The love at first sight. Well, in retrospect it wasn't really at first sight because he had seen her plenty of times before. But this time was different. Chad could never explain it, but he knew it had something to do with the way he looked at her. It was just completely different from all the other times he looked at her.

"Y-y-y-yeah. Totally fine." he stammered.

Now for the great Chad Danforth to stutter, that was any girls' dream. No one could ever do that before her. Yet somehow it didn't throw Taylor off her guard.

"Alright. I guess I'll see you later then."

She began walking away with her books at hand, but in an instant Chad spun around towards her. He had seen her and now he wsan't going to let her get away. Forget that he'd see Taylor the next morning in homeroom. He wouldn't be able to do anything then. At least now he had a chance.

"Wait."

Taylor stopped in her tracks and turned her head to face him with a perplexed look. "Yes?"

"Um..." Chad paused, knowing that if he wanted her to stick around he would have to come up with a good excuse. "...do you need help carrying your books?"

She blinked at first. Of course she was caught off guard; before that day, the two hardly spoke two words to each other. for Chad to offer something in such a gentlemanly matter from out of nowhere was just...unexpected to say the least.

"That's nice of you to ask, but I'm fine." she replied.

"Oh..." Was all Chad could think of to say as he tried to keep his face from falling.

"Well, I'll just see you in homeroom then." Taylor decided.

**Though you're unsure why fight the tide**

**Don't think so much, let your heart decide**

Chad watched as she turned on her heel and started her way down the hall once more. The problem was, homeroom wasn't until the next morning. Chad wasn't sure if he could wait until then. Suddenly basketball became the last thing on his mind. If there was anything he wanted more than to play for a professional NBA team it was to have Taylor. And not just as a friend. So if he wanted her to stick around longer, he'd have to get her attention and fast. Call him selfish if you must, but he was desperate for her attention. He wanted her. He wanted to be with her, to talk to her...all of that and more. So Chad resolved to do the only possible thing he could think of: he hit his head as hard as he could against one of the lockers and slid down to the floor. It worked in his favor, because Taylor was able to rush to his side as soon as she heard the clunk of his bushy fro against the hard metal door.

"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly, sitting down beside him. Taylor placed her books on the floor and lifted his head so she could check for any bumps.

Chad couldn't help but smile. It worked like a charm. Now in this situation there were a couple of things he could do. He could pretend to be in massive agony, leading Taylor to take him to the nurse and stay by his side to make sure he'd be alright. He could pull the risk card and say he was fine which could either make Taylor stay and keep an eye on him or convince her to leave him. But Chad didn't choose either of those routes. He chose a different approach.

"I'll be more alright if you go out with me."

Part of him couldn't believe he just said that. It was mainly an involuntary reaction, but perhaps the back blow from hitting his head caused his thoughts to become his words. So now Taylor was sitting next to him with a shocked look. It caught her more off guard than Chad's polite offer to carry her books. She moved her head in two separate directions, almost as though she was trying to pick a side, a choice. But Chad didn't know that. His look was a mixture of confused and hopeful. He wanted her to say yes, but the odds of that were slim. And judging from the look on Taylor's face, in the direction in which she was leaning towards, it was going to end in nothing but rejection.

"I'm sorry Chad." she apologized sincerely. "But it just wouldn't work out." Then she picked up her books and left.

Luckily with the halls being near empty at that point, hardly anyone saw his rejection. And if there was a bright side to it, at least no girls were around to rush over and try to comfort him. That was the last thing Chad needed. But ruth be told, as hurt as he was by her response, he wasn't surprised by it. Even if it was indirect, Chad knew Taylor. He always heard her answer the toughest questions in class even when he didn't turn to look at her. He would see her from the corner of his eye in science class working with dangerous chemicals and knowing exactly how they worked. In math class he would watch her from her backside as she walked up to the board and solved the most complicated equation. Even if Chad didn't realize it, he knew how Taylor operated.

Taylor was a logical thinker. she looked at things from a clearly scientific point of view. Some things may have more than one answer, but every time she answered a question it was purely on facts. For her not only was life nothing without math and science, but nothing made sense without facts. Even if someone were to ask her about a piece of artwork she would carefully study it and use her knowledge of colors and their meanings to give an appropriate response; she wouldn't bother to just look at the picture and say the first thing she saw. Taylor was one to think before she spoke or acted. There always had to be this perfectly formulated response. The majority of the time she couldn't even do anything without thinking. She always said how she followed the path of the mind. And everyone knew that it meant she listened to her head, not her heart.

**Baby, I see your future and it's tied to mine**

**I look in your eyes and I see you searching for a sign**

Chad wasn't psychic. He couldn't see the future. But he knew everything wasn't set in stone. He didn't believe in destiny. If you ever asked him, Chad would say that we create our own destiny. Chad recalled one person - he didn't remember who, it was either an artist, scientist, or historian, one of those three and he couldn't even remember their name but he knew it was a dude - saying something about how when everyone was born they had this rock that was filled with all of the information that would happen to them. Or was it a rock waiting to be filled with things that would happen to them? Well it had something to do with a stone. But if anyone even mentioned stone, Chad would say how nothing was set in it. Maybe, he would admit, when a person is born there is some kind of path set out for them. Maybe it had to do with what they would become interested in or something, he didn't know. But he knew that fate couldn't control him. He would make things happen on his own. And this was no exception.

He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but Chad had heard plenty of poems or stories and even seen plenty of movies where there were two different paths set in front of a character. There would always come a time in life where someone would have to pick one of two roads. Before really laying his eyes on Taylor, Chad always thought that his fork in the road would be meeting the girl of his dreams right when he was about to get a big contract for the LA Lakers or some other team like that, and he'd have to choose between his woman and his career. But that wasn't the case. Chad wasn't sure when his fork in the road would be anymore. If the paths to choose from were now, one would be to go after Taylor and the other would be to give up and move on. But Chad was certainly no quitter. Every time he closed his eyes and pictured a path he was walking on, he would see Taylor at the end of it. somehow it had to mean that his path would connect to hers and they'd be together in the end. Yup, that was pure romanticism talking right there.

Chad had tried time and time again to ask Taylor out. But every time was the same. She'd think about it and there'd be a long pause before she'd reject him. It happened more times than he could count. But there came a time where he noticed something. He really took the time to just stare into her eyes as she thought; it was then that he saw something he hadn't seen before. He could see the conflict within them. He saw her struggle. There was an inner conflict with Taylor. He remembered the conflict he was seeing from English class: man versus self. Or in this case, woman. He wasn't sure what the reason for her mental battle was. Maybe it had to do with that she was a nerd as some people would say and that he was a jock. Or maybe even she thought that they were too different from each other. It could have been as simple as thinking they merely came from different worlds. Those were thoughts that could make anyone second guess something. But Chad wasn't going to let this battle continue.

**But you'll never fall till you let go**

**Don't be so scared of what you don't know**

One day after basketball practice Chad patiently waited at Taylor's locker. He knew she had a Scholastic Decathlon meeting that day; he'd wait until midnight for her to get out if he had to. And surely enough, not too long after he had exited basketball practice, Taylor was on her way down the hall with her books in her arms and heading towards her locker. Chad had been leaning against her locker, and straightened his position and moved so he wouldn't be blocking her way when he saw her coming. Once again Chad managed to catch her off guard.

"Were you waiting here for me?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't worry, I wasn't here too long." Chad shook his head. "Practice only let out ten minutes ago."

Taylor merely nodded before turning to her locker. She put in the combination and then opened it to put one of her books away, most likely the one that had been used for her meeting. Chad watched her, and made sure to choose his words carefully before speaking again.

"Why do you always seem to be fighting with yourself?"

Taylor nearly jumped at the sound of his voice. She slowly turned to Chad with a perplexed look. "Pardon?"

"It's just that, I've noticed that every time I ask you out you kind of fight with yourself before turning me down." he explained. "And I'd like to know why."

"Honestly, I don't think it's any of your business." she stated simply.

"You're right, it's probably not. But I think I have some right to know." Chad replied. He was going to take any opportunity he had to talk to her, this one included. And he wasn't going to let her get off the hook this time. "I mean, have have turned me down ten times in one week," he continued. "do you do this with all the guys who ask you out?"

"I don't think it's something you'd understand." Taylor told him.

Chad merely shrugged his shoulders. "Try me."

Taylor sighed and faced him completely. She didn't say anything right away, and Chad knew once again that she was trying to work her response in just the right way.

"School has to come first for me. I have dreams and ambitions of not just becoming valedictorian but also to get into a very prestigious school. If I focus my attention on boys and dating rather than my work, then everything I've worked for goes down the drain. So you can see why dating is out of the question for me." she said. Closing her locker, Taylor began to make her departure.

"so you're trying to tell me no other guy's ever asked you out before?" Chad asked, causing her to stop in her tracks once more.

Taylor bit her tongue before slowly turned at least a quarter of a turn to face him again. "There's never been a reason for anyone to ask me out before."

Chad couldn't help but chuckle. "Taylor I can list a whole book of reasons why someone would wanna ask you out." Yes, that was his romantic side talking but it was the truth.

Taylor quirked an eyebrow. "Children's book?"

"Give or take that many pages." he shrugged. "But the least you can do is give me a better answer as to why the rejection continues."

It was amazing how well Chad could handle himself when being faced with no after no. But that was who he was; he was determined. When he saw something that he liked he went for it. As mentioned earlier, Chad was no quitter.

She finally turned her whole body to face him once more before taking baby steps towards him. Yes baby steps, but steps nonetheless.

"I'm not skilled in the dating department." she confessed. "I can give my friends advice on how to deal with boys because I can see how they act. I'm a scientist and therefore, an observer. It's what I do. But I've never been one to experience it for myself."

Chad, as well as anyone else, could tell that things had to be straight forward with Taylor. She had to know exactly what would happen before committing to anything. Dating and relationships were completely unpredictable. It was out of Taylor's comfort zone. Experimenting with chemicals and being forced to try and make new discoveries was one thing; it would be in an area that she was still more comfortable with. The unpredictability of that she could do just fine. But when it came to any attraction between her and a male it would all become a roller coaster. Nothing was set in stone with relationships. Maybe it could last a week, maybe it could last a year. But surely enough, the way she probably saw it, the majority of high school relationships just couldn't last after high school. One way or another, it was stepping out of her comfort zone. And Taylor did not want to do that.

"So if you can't do it now or even in college, when are you gonna be able to go through with the dating scene?" Chad inquired. "If you ask me, you're always ready to learn something new. So what's so different about this?"

Taylor could have come up with what might have been the perfect response. But she took a different approach. She decided to counter his question with a question of her own.

"So what would your opinion be?"

for Chad, the answer was a no-brainer. "You just gotta follow your heart."

**True to your heart**

**You must be true to your heart**

**That's when the heavens will part**

**And baby, shower you with my love**

Now that response intrigued Taylor. "That is not the kind of response I would expect from a basketball boy."

Chad could only smile. "not the lunkhead you thought I was, am I?"

"that depends." she stated, doing a very good job of holding her ground. "Care to expand on your comment?"

"The way I see it, a person has three choices to follow." Chad replied as though he had his answer planned all along. "There's your gut, your head, and your heart. If you ask me I'm more of the complicated variety."

"Do tell." she nodded, signaling him to continue.

"alright." Chad agreed. "Normally I listen to my gut. When it tells me to do something I don't question. It's like an instinct to me. I gotta follow it. When I'm playing basketball I gotta follow my head. Before any game the team always has to go over all of these plays and remember what the coach said and follow the team captain. Everything we're told to do is stored in our minds. The only way I could act on instinct in the middle of a game is when I know for sure a play isn't gonna work out. Because on the court there's no time to think. You either gotta follow the plays or act on impulse. But other times I gotta do what my heart says. when I see something, or someone, that I want I go for it. The heart wants what the heart wants, after all."

For a jock, especially one with probably a C average, his reply was quite insightful. He knew exactly what he was going to say before he said any of that. Either that, or he just opened his mouth and let it all come out in one response. Taylor blinked in surprise. Not even she could have seen such a potential in Chad to say anything of the sort that he did. No one wouldn't even be able to believe that there were times when he followed his heart. Maybe it was her wide eyes, but something inside Chad seemed to get the feeling from just looking at her deep pools of chocolate that she knew what he was talking about with what his heart wanted.

**Open your eyes**

**Your heart can tell you no lies**

**and when you're true to your heart**

**I know it's gonna lead you straight to me**

Taylor seemed to take a minute to gather herself before replying again. "I...um...I don't know what to say." she confessed.

Chad could only smile. His words seemed to make her speechless. In his mind, that was getting somewhere. whether he was leading her on or not, he knew it was going somewhere. And he wasn't about to back out now.

"I think you're looking at the big picture."

Once again she quirked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"you're looking at the situation totally differently because you're seeing it through someone else's point of view." Chad replied.

Taylor cocked her head ever so slightly. "Explain to me how during the day and when you're with your basketball posse you seem to be so arrogant and dumb-struck and yet when you talk to me you're a completely different person."

His grin turned into a slight smirk. "anything to impress you."

She knew he was serious. It was something about the way she looked at him that made Chad aware. Her mouth was opened slightly, almost as though a gasp was caught in her throat. Just seeing her with that expression Chad came to the conclusion that it was time to give her a break for the day.

"Think about it." he offered. "I'm gonna ask you out again tomorrow so before you say no now, just take the night to consider it. But remember that every time you say no I'll keep asking and I won't let the rejection get to me." He smiled at her and then turned around to head to the door. The hall was dead silent for a moment before he heard Taylor's voice echo through the corridor.

"You're not really giving me much of a choice are you?"

The smile still glued to his face, Chad turned back around to her. "Of course I am. You can say yes now and we can plan a date, or you can say no again and listen to me ask you out once everyday." he answered with a wink.

Chad wouldn't swear to it, but he almost thought he saw Taylor blush. Nothing ever made Taylor blush. A heat wave, maybe, but never a comment from a boy. That was truly an accomplishment in of itself. And yet the silence remained. Chad decided to stick around a few minutes longer to see if she would give an answer now or if he should wait for her response until first period the next morning. five minutes passed and there was no response. The only sound bouncing off the walls was the ticking and tocking of a clock. and just as Chad was ready to make his exit, Taylor captured his attention yet again.

"How does Saturday night sound?"

**Someone you know is on your side**

**I can do that for you if you believe in me**

When going on a first date with girls, most guys would probably suggest the movies. They'd take their date to a horror flick and try to protect their date from the scariest of scenes, or try and slip their arm around her shoulder and pull a move. Chad had thought so many times about doing that when it came to his first date. Or, if anything else, see a movie of her suggestion. But Taylor was different. He was sure that she wasn't the kind of girl who would merely settle for a movie with popcorn and sitting in silence watching a large screen. There would be no time to talk, no time to get to know each other better. It would almost be like sitting in an awkward silence but without complete silence. He was determined to make their first date a success. And especially because it would be the first time they both went out, Chad knew it had to be special. If anything he wanted it to be as casual as possible. He couldn't bare to even think about Taylor being stressed over the night. An unorthodox date may be what he had planned, but the important thing was that it was a date with the girl of his dreams. He wasn't going to let her escape. But if he would let his romantic side shine tonight, that would be his call.

He took her to a simple diner. It wasn't expensive or fancy. In fact, it almost at the waiter questioning if he was serving a date or not. But Chad hardly paid attention. when he talked to Taylor face to face every time he did, he was showing her the positive side to him. not the arrogant, cocky, spoiled side, but rather the caring, open-minded, gentlemanly side. If anyone saw Chad acting like that to a girl they knew he was head over heels. But as of right now that was all secret. Chad wanted to see if he could impress her and if over time she could grow to love him the way he had fallen for her in an instant.

"My parents are open-minded about a lot of things. I guess they raised me to be like that, too." Chad was explaining once they began talking and moving onto the subject of their families. "My mom works for this big corporation but since she's a marketing manager she has to be able to see things from not just her point of view but her boss' point of view, her employers' point of view, and customers' point of view. and my dad's a cop so I've seen him deal with a bunch of people in different life styles."

"Sounds like you live a charmed life." Taylor noted as she took a sip of her ginger ale. "Any brothers or sisters?"

"Nah. Just me." he shook his head. Obviously him being an only child would explain why he would be spoiled so much. "And yourself?"

"I have an older sister. She goes to Georgetown in Washington but is studying abroad in Mexico right now. She's a communications major." Taylor replied. "I guess that's one of the only ways I can give boy advice to my friends, because my sister tells me about them all the time."

"Cool, very cool." Chad nodded. "And your folks?"

"Just my mom. I don't remember much about my father except that he had an affair with another woman and left my mother when I was about ten. He died in a car crash and that was it." Taylor replied. "And my mother is a novelist. Nothing major or anything, she just writes what she can and it's up to the readers whether they enjoy her work or not. Either way she earns money and makes a living for her family."

"Sounds like the perfect womans' condo to me." Chad said.

"I suppose." Taylor said. "My mom may have her head in the clouds sometimes but she nearly flipped her lid when I told her I had a date."

"I guess I'd better pull out a good tux and work some magic, huh?" Chad joked as he pretended to fix a bow tie.

That made Taylor giggle. "Let's see how this date goes first. If there's another one in the future I'll be sure to let her meet you."

"sounds good to me." Chad agreed. "But for the record, if this date somehow doesn't end well, I'll still see you as a close friend."

**Why second guess what feels so right**

**Just trust your heart**

**And you'll see the light**

As the evening continued, an obvious connection seemed to be built between Chad and Taylor. Chad knew that for him the connection was only deepening because he felt something the moment he saw her. But on Taylor's end, the connection was just starting to plant its roots. Chad wasn't going to push his luck, however. They agreed to see how the date would go and he didn't want to ruin it in any way shape or form. They had already gone through the basics when it came to getting to know a person. They talked about their families, their likes and dislikes, favorite movies and genres, even eventually began to dig deeper into each other with more meaningful conversations.

"So what's your take on destiny?"

Taylor looked at Chad and tilted her head. The question seemed to pop out of nowhere, but from the look on chad's face he wasn't joking about the question. And for Chad to not be joking about something was next to impossible.

"Care to expand on that?" she inquired.

Chad nodded and placed down his fork. He swallowed the chicken that was in his mouth before speaking once more.

"Some people believe that things happen for a reason. Or that certain things are meant to happen to a person and no matter how hard you try you can't change those things that will happen because they're destiny. And others believe that we make our own destiny. Maybe some things are already set for us or maybe there's some kind of path we're put on to get started, but overall a person is able to shape their own future. What do you think about that?" he rephrased his question. As ironic as it may have sounded, it was a very important question to Chad. It was always something he pondered about. It might have been his romantic side starting to come out in the middle of the date, or it just might have been him asking a question and getting someone else's take on it.

Taylor, as usual, analyzed it carefully before replying. She twirled her fork in her pasta as the first words escaped her. "Honestly, I think it could go any of those ways. It's like asking if someone believes in God. Personally I don't believe in him but I do believe there is an all-mighty force that started everything or ultimately makes the decision about a person, such as whether they go to heaven or hell. But when worded like that, it's also asking a person if they believe in heaven and hell as well. I look at those the same way. I know that there has to be a fine line drawn between good and evil in the world and the holiest people gain access to a heaven-like afterlife while the worst of the chain are thrown into some horrible fiery pits. In that case I see levels of those. Not everyone could make it into the finest afterlife. Everyone has to do at least one bad thing in their life. My theory is that there's a heaven-esque afterlife for the best of the best followed by say, a cloud nine where people who only did one unforgivable thing or a few bad things go, then something like a middle class afterlife where people could be on the verge of crossing the line between good and evil but have somehow gotten the perfect balance of doing good and bad. Fourth in the line of the afterlife would be an equator where the number of bad things a person did outweighed the good at an estimate of seventy-five percent to twenty-five, which is then ended by hell itself which is where the horrible criminals and everyone else who did such evil deeds in their life go and don't ask for forgiveness.

"Tying all of that in to fate and destiny also depends on the person," she continued. "Everyone has their own opinions and it's emphasized in everything they say. When I think of destiny I think of the stars. Stars are formed into exact positions and are tied into astrology, which is something some people fully depend on for the lives. But that's not all the good stars are for. some of them are formed in certain areas for a reason. Take into consideration the big Dipper. If one of those stars was removed from the constellation then the Big Dipper would cease to exist. I see stars placed carefully on a large map of the universe before they are actually born and remain where they are for a reason. Likewise, i believe that's how we as humans are. Everyone is born with a purpose. They may figure out what their purpose is or they may not. But that doesn't mean everything is mapped out for them. The only things that could possible be mapped out for a person are their families because we can't choose the families we're born into. Other than that I believe we have the power to go where we want and do as we desire. The only thing standing in our way besides the possibility of our parents is our consciences. Ultimately they tell us what is right and what is wrong and we act on it. It plays a part in deciding what we'll do with our lives, such as if it's to help people or commit crime. We can look to people or stars for guidance but ultimately the only person we have to consult about what we do is us."

That was one of the reasons Chad found himself falling harder for Taylor. It wasn't that she was so opinionated but rather that she knew what she was talking about and she was passionate about what she said. she took nearly every point of view into consideration and always paused when she found that she was questioning what she wanted to say. And jduging from all that she said about not just fate and destiny, but also the possibility of there being a higher force and the afterlife he knew they were on the same page and he knew that there truly was a connection with them.

Taylor took a moment to take some of her drink and just a little of her food before asking Chad's take on it.

"And yourself?"

Chad leaned forward, his elbows on the table and his chin on the back of his laced hands. "Half of my family is Catholic. The other half is Jewish. And I know that every religion sees God differently. I'm from the side of my family that's Catholic so I can't say I know too much about the Torah or Jewish religion. I believe it has something to do with Allah or Abraham. I think Abraham might have been one of God's messengers in that religion, much like Moses. But in Catholicism there's the Bible with the theory of creationism, God, and Adam and Eve. so because I've been exposed to more than one religion and therefore different theories about God and the afterlife I can't give an honest opinion. I have to agree with you that one way or another there has to be some powerful force controlling everything. And when it comes to heaven and hell, i think I believe most when the Bible talks about it. If you do good you're rewarded and if you commit sin you go to hell. The one thing I don't agree with, however, is that some of the sins are natural. Take envy for example. Some people are just naturally jealous. They'll get jealous or competitive if someone is better than them at something or if someone is spending more time with their crush. A feeling like lust, mainly in a relationship, does take over at some point. When two people who have true feelings for each other, passion is evident in everything they do. And when those two people go without seeing each other for a long time, the first time afterward that they see each other lust takes over because of what they've been missing for so long. But something like sloth, laziness, it's one thing to feel lazy or make jokes about being lazy when a person isn't lazy all the time. It's another thing when that laziness takes over a person and they never feel like doing anything so they have people do everything for them. And for someone to be born with a sin like say, envy or pride, is like saying they'd automatically be sent to hell as soon as they die. I can't see that as true.

"Destiny is always something I ask myself and it's something I guess I can be passionate about. I've grown up with fairy tales and cheesy disney movies my whole life. When you see a movie or read a story a certain amount of times you know exactly how it's going to end every time and everything that will happen in between the beginning and the ending. Those stories are fate for the characters because while they could be in any form whether it be 2-D or 3-D, drawn, computer-animated, or written, they are alive within their given story and there's nothing that they can do to turn the story around for them. That's fate." he went on. "But when it comes to us, actual, breathing, living human beings, it's completely not the same. I know that there is some kind of path sketched out for us. The most is does is give us a hint where to go. We follow that path our whole lives and we make it as we go along. It only leads the way for us when we're young. But when we're older and forced to make a choice the path divides into two. We choose one road or the other and there's no going back. Maybe a chance later in life to fix it if the wrong path is taken, but overall there's no changing the road you walk on. you make that decision, not destiny. I believe that in the grand scheme of things we create our own destiny and nothing is set in stone for us. If anything's set in stone, it's our genes and our likes and dislikes and even those can change. But we decide what we want to change and what we want to stay the same. The future isn't in someone else's hands, it's in our own. We can't always go our entire lives listening to someone that isn't us because when it takes a turn for the worst we'll question why it happened and wonder why we couldn't stop it. And if I were to listen to God for example and he took away something important to me I would start questioning him why he did it and why I wasn't able to stop it. But that's just the thing. Even in the simplest way you can prevent something in your life from happening, but only if you control your own life. We're not cartoon characters and we're not in the middle of a book. This is real life and we write everything ourselves as we go along."

Chad may have been repetitive on a few things that he said, but if at all it was all for emphasis. It was a comparison. Like Taylor, he was trying to look at things from nearly every possible angle. And since this was one of the few times he had openly expressed his opinion on anything of the sorts, naturally his words would be a little jumbled or he would get lost at some points. But as a whole he knew exactly what he was going to say and barely even thought twice before letting something escape his mouth. Even Taylor could tell how serious he was being and it was most definitely a whole other side to him no one had experienced. From the expression on her face with her wide eyes and the way that she stayed in the same position throughout his entire monologue just listening to him showed that she intrigued and very impressed.

"Those are most definitely powerful words, Chad." she was finally able to say after minutes of bringing herself back into reality.

Chad almost felt the heat rush to his cheeks. He chuckled nervously and looked down at his food, another manner that he never revealed to his friends.

"I guess even being a dreamer I can still tell the difference between fiction and reality."

"I guess so." Taylor replied with a warm smile before looking back at her own food.

Several more minutes passed and they sat in utter silence. It was obvious why they were both so quiet. Taylor had no idea what to do next. And Chad was trying to figure out what to say next. They couldn't sit in silence forever, that was for sure. It felt like almost an hour passed by before Chad picked up his head and locked eyes with Taylor.

"Do you feel a connection between us, too? Or is that just my imagination?"

**True to your heart**

**You must be true to your heart**

**That's when the heavens will part**

**And baby, shower you with my love**

After Chad's question Taylor didn't once remove her gaze from him. All she did was reply with a smile. They spent the remainder of the night making small talk once in a while and aside from that, all was silent. Even when Chad walked Taylor to her doorstep they didn't say much. All they did was agree that they had a good time and exchanged good-night's. Nothing else needed to be said or done. All of the signs were right there; no explanations were needed. And if you simply asked Chad, he would tell you that the date only made him more sure that he was going for the right girl. All it was, was a matter of time before things would grow between them and the bond would grow. The seeds have been planted and the roots have begun to spread into the soil; now the plant simply needed to flower.

**Open your eyes**

**Your heart can tell you no lies**

**And when you're true to your heart**

**I know it's gonna lead you straight to me**

Surely enough there was a connection between the two of them. Neither denied it. When people at school saw them together in the hallway, they assumed that either something was horribly wrong or that there was going to be an apocalyptic attack. But nothing was wrong at all and there would most definitely not be an attack of the apocalypse. it started off simple. Chad would walk Taylor to class and they would make friendly conversations in the hallway. At most, two weeks after the first date, they would hold hands as they traveled down the halls. Both of their groups of friends honestly thought something was wrong with their friends. But they couldn't be further from the truth. Everything was splendid. Taylor always seemed to be in such a good mood and the side of Chad that everyone was so used to seeing had easily begun to melt and there came a point where they thought they didn't know him anymore.

Chad could see him and Taylor become closer everyday. Though they hadn't become official, they had to be on the verge of doing so and both could see themselves being committed to one another. Every time Chad took the littlest glance at Taylor he knew he was heading in the right direction. He saw himself walking right to her everyday and always thought of her before anything else. While their conversations would erupt into arguments from time to time and their differences became more clear to each other, Chad wasn't bothered by it. He saw it as a way for them to talk more about. They could have a friendly debate about a subject or just not become bored by sharing the same conversations over and over again. It felt like there was always something new and different to explore. It was like when they talked about basketball and the Scholastic Decathlon.

"so when is the next game?" Taylor would ask.

Chad would respond by giving her the date and time of the game and saying how important it was. Especially when it came to their school's rivals, he was very in tune with what he was saying.

"We're always trying to kick the Knights' butts. They kicked our school our of the playoffs or just beat us so many times that it's ridiculous and we have no fighting chance sometimes." would be an example of such a talk. "It's the last game before we find out who goes to the championships. We've crushed South High and North High was better this year, but East High and West High are like natural enemies. They push us when we're down too many times and we gotta show them who's in charge."

"They're like that in the Decathlon competitions as well." Taylor agreed. "We weren't able to beat them for a place in the final competition until last year. Before then they beat us out easily seven years in a row. The rivalry isn't just in sports but every form of game."

"It's like sometimes even when we try our best it's still not good enough to beat them." Chad nodded. "Ten years running they didn't even let us see the playoffs."

"It's always a scheme or secret weapon they have to kick us out of the competition and make us feel like we're not worthy of them." Taylor went on.

"They're low-lives. That's all there is to it. They can't just beat us at our best sport on their own. They have to have some kind of help."

"They seem to get smarter and smarter every year and it continues to make us feel inferior."

"I mean there has to be some way for us to beat them. We have a chance to do that every year but they can't keep up their victories forever."

"They can kick us aside but they can't crush our spirit."

"There's gonna come a year when the tables are gonna turn and we'll get the cream of the crop while they're stuck with a team that doesn't know a free throw from a slam dunk."

"One day their egos are going to get the better of them and everything is going to blow up in their face."

Chad would reply to that by letting go of his anger. He'd look at Taylor and smile at her. "I'm talking to the smartest girl in school. They're not gonna get the better of you forever."

Taylor would return the smile and reply with a compliment of her own. "There's plenty of great basketball players out there but no two of them are the same. you're the most lively and energetic of them all."

"I'm glad we had this talk." Chad finished, being more than happy he could vent to Taylor and she would understand him.

That's how something like that would go over. The two of them would talk about completely different subjects but even then it would be like they were having a conversation without having a conversation. They knew what the other was saying and just because they let out their feelings about what they went through didn't mean they tuned the other out. The talking of different subjects would go on for a while until one of them would acknowledge that they were listening the entire time and say something encouraging and that would start ending the cycle. In other cases, Chad would talk about basketball first and after explaining to Taylor how all the practices have been going or let her know about a big game coming up, she would go on to tell him the same things about the Scholastic Decathlon. And even though they were still talking to their polar opposites, their conversations were never boring.

And one thing Chad always took away from their talks was that Taylor was warming up to him and she would be in more and more of a comfort zone, leading them to forming a real relationship.

**(You know it's true)**

**Year heart knows what's good for you**

**(Good for you)**

**Let your heart show you the way**

**(you know it's true)**

**It'll see you through**

"I still don't think we should be a couple or anything."

Chad looked to the seat next to him in Study Hall and his eyes landed on Taylor. In his mind he knew she was there the whole time but they had been sitting in silence so it was easy to forget that both of them were there. And it wasn't just that Taylor's words shocked him. They honestly could have hurt him. It was as though Taylor was telling him that she didn't want to give them a chance and she would never want to know his true feelings for her.

"Care to explain why?"

Taylor slowly closed her book and thought for a minute. It was easy to tell what she was thinking and why. But this time it wasn't just to brainstorm the perfect response. It was to say what she wanted in the gentlest way so she wouldn't really end up hurting Chad.

"I've always wondered what it would be like to have a boyfriend. Even when I never admitted that I wanted to have one, I still thought about it and I still had my girlie side." Taylor admitted. "But I was always under the assumption that relationships meant nothing compared to school. There were and still are more important things than dating and it would most likely all be a distraction. I didn't want that to get in the way of anything. But having been on dates now and experiencing that side...I enjoyed it. And it really means a lot to me that instead of going for one of the air-headed cheerleaders you asked me out. Before I explain anything any further, I'd like to know why."

From what Taylor had seen of Chad, he could put up a friendly debate but didn't argue when he was wrong or say someone's opinion was incorrect. So for Chad to give a simple answer to Taylor about one question would be unexpected.

"Let's just say I have my reasons." he settled with saying. "But I can assure you it was all for the right reasons. I never ever asked you out of pity and none of it wsa ever a joke. I didn't want an over peppy girl but rather someone I knew I could talk to and that's exactly who you were."

And you really thought he was going to confess his feelings towards her? Chad may be a C student but he was no idiot. If ti ever got to the point where they became completely serious or he was sure she felt the same way then he would tell her. But now was not the right time. And people didn't get their happily ever after's by blurting out 'I love you' or 'I'm in love with you' that early in a relationship. He could probably even name a bunch of Disney movies he saw where it wasn't love at first sight for both characters or where saying something like that would wreck everything for sure. Or completely rewrite the outcome of the movie.

Taylor nodded at his response. "I appreciate your honesty. And I can tell that whoever you do end up dating you would make a fabulous boyfriend. But I really don't think that person is me and the most we should stay is friends with benefits."

She gathered her books and prepared to make her exit, but Chad gently grabbed hold of her wrist so she had to turn back to him.

"What if I told you I could give you a really good reason that could convince you to stick around and that we could give it a try being more than friends?" he asked.

"I guess I would say, why would you suggest that." she replied.

"Because I really like you. A lot." Chad said. That was no lie. If anything it was just diminishing his feelings for her until further notice, keeping the remainder of it all at bay until the time would be right. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but something tells me you like me, too."

But once again Taylor would not let herself submit to the truth. It was her logical thinking again. She opened her mouth and closed it again and Chad got the vibe that she was trying to hide her feelings.

"There are more important things than dating, Chad. And I know that you can't help when you meet people. But that first time we did go out you were right. There was a connection between us. I know that we have something and I wouldn't want to wreck that something by jumping into this or going too fast or anything of the sort."

"Well, if I may, I can think of one possible solution to change your mind." he offered.

"And what would that be?" she inquired.

Chad knew he didn't do it on accident. And he knew he was following his heart. But when he planted a kiss on Taylor's lips he knew he had made the right move. It would seem like he had it all preplanned but honestly, Chad didn't. He acted on impulse and hoped that it would reward he broke the kiss he saw her shocked look and met her eyes with his.

"That's how I feel. The way I see it, when a person kisses someone it happens for a reason. It has to happen at just the right time. And for me this was the right time. But for you to know if its the right time, just go with what your heart says. And even if you opt to walk away I'll totally understand."

Taylor just shook her head at him but didn't once break eye contact. "You sure know how to charm a girl."

He couldn't help but smile and chuckle ever so faintly. "I'll take that as a good thing?"

"A very good thing." Taylor replied with a warm smile. With her mind made up she leaned in and kissed Chad.

**Girl my heart is driving me to where you are**

**You can take both hands off the wheel and**

**Still get far**

Every time Chad acted on impulse when he was around Taylor, the impulses came from his heart. He knew exactly what it was he wanted to do every time. It was something he couldn't describe. But like he said, the heart wants what the heart wants. He knew what he wanted and he went for it. However there were some cases in which Chad just blurt out whatever he could think of to say. How he got so confident around Taylor, he'll never know. But there was just something about her that made him so comfortable. It was like no matter what he said or did, he made it work for him and he always knew he was doing the right thing.

"Will you teach me to drive?"

Taylor looked at him with the same look of shock she always seemed to have when he opened his mouth. Half of the things, she hardly ever expected him to say, and yet he said them. But in the long run it never seemed to drive her away.

"Why do ask that now?" she inquired.

"Because you have your license now and I don't. I'd like to be able to drive you to places instead of you always getting behind the wheel." Chad answered.

"I took driver's education the first time I was eligible to enter a course and I aced my road test on the first try. my reasoning for doing all that as soon as possible was so I wouldn't have to constantly ask my mother for rides to places I needed to be at when she needed the car for her own errands. May I ask why you haven't taken any lessons yet?" she replied.

"Honestly, I do have my learner's permit," he explained, "but I never seemed to have the time to enter a course. And my parents always want to drive me to my basketball games so they make sure I'm on time for it and they're on time to get good seats. It almost seemed like I never had a real reason to need to drive until now."

"And you honestly believe I can be your driving instructor?" Taylor asked him with a giggle.

"Maybe just a little." Chad admitted.

"Maybe just one lesson. If we're out for too long driving without a real licensed driver we could get in trouble." she said.

"so you're agreeing to help me just like that?" Chad asked, a bit surprised now.

"If I said no you were going to keep asking until I agreed to do so." she replied simply. Smiling, Taylor removed her car keys from her pants pocket and handed them to Chad. "Let's see what you've got speed demon."

**Be swept away, e****njoy the ride**

**you won't get lost**

**With your heart to guide you**

"So you've got your foot on the brakes?" Taylor asked once they were in her car and buckled up.

"Yup." Chad nodded.

"Ok, then keep your foot there and move the gear shift from P for Park to D for Drive." she explained. "We're in a parking lto so remember to move out of the space slowly. Give a minimal amount of gas and always cover the brake."

"got it." Chad nodded once more. He did as instructed and slowly pulled out of the parking space. He went around the school parking lot a few times just working on some turns and speed. It was shortly after that, that he was able to drive out of the parking lot and started by going around the block. The speed of the car was picked up and ironically, for someone who hadn't been doing many turns, he was doing very well. Even Taylor looked impressed by his work. The music from the radio was on at the lowest level and Chad seemed completely focused on the road.

"You're doing very well Chad. If I didn't know better I would assume you've done this before." she observed.

"Maybe once or twice tops." Chad shrugged. "I think I got it even better with you as my teacher."

Taylor giggled. "Sorry Mr. Danforth, but I think I'm a little young to qualify as your driving instructor."

"Oh honey you don't look a day over fifteen." Chad replied, making her laugh even more. But once the laughter died down Taylor came into realization about something. They were no longer driving near the school. Chad was driving up a ramp leading to a highway.

"Chad I think this is a little dangerous. Are you sure you can do this?"

"Don't worry about a thing Taylor. With you around I always know what I'm doing." he assured her.

"What if we get lost while we're on here? A highway can lead anywhere from a different part of town to a completely different state. It's highly possible that we could end up getting lost." she replied.

"Tay, do you trust me?" Chad asked her seriously. He didn't hear a response from her right away. Chad stopped the car to look at her, also waiting for the right time to scoot over into the right line so he could drive on. "do you trust me?" he asked once more.

A deep breath escaped Taylor before she faced Chad and nodded. "Yes. i do trust you."

"Then just relax and enjoy the ride. I know where I'm going." Chad promised placing his hand over hers.

That seemed to reassure Taylor, as she nodded with a small smile. "Alright. Drive on when ready."

Chad smiled and placed both of his hands back on the wheel. Paying complete attention to the road, he made it into his right lane and drove across the highway. Though he was going a little slow for the speed limit, Chad wasn't doing too knew to always check his mirrors and to cover the breaks when necessary. Maybe he pulled a little white lie to Taylor when he said he hadn't really driven before. Unless he was planning something, and that was a huge possibility. Chad had a smile on his face the whole time. Surely something must have been hidden under his sleeve.

Finally, nearly a half hour after driving, Chad drove off the highway and parked the car in a lot. He and Taylor exited and it was then that they found themselves at the boardwalk, which could only mean one thing.

"Chad you took us to the beach?" Taylor turned to him gasping.

Chad laughed and nodded. "The most romantic place I could think of. I told you I knew where I was going."

"Have you ever even been here before?" Taylor felt she had the need to ask.

"A few times," he admitted, "but the way we came here isn't the way my parents took when they drove here."

"So then how did you know which routes to take to get here, which exits to get off of, even which one to get on...?" she asked.

A smile crept onto Chad's face. "When you're with me Tay, I don't need to know where I'm going. I already know exactly where I'm supposed to go."

**True to your heart**

**You must be true to your heart**

**that's when the heavens will part**

**And baby shower you with my love**

**Open your eyes**

**your hear can tell you no lies**

**And when you're true to your heart**

**I know it's gonna lead you straight to me**

_"What are you writing there?"_

_Thirty-year-old Chad Danforth turned to his wife as she walked into his office. "Just that side project I've been working on."_

_"another one?" she inquired standing behind his chair and wrapping her arms around him. "Baby that's your forth side project in two months."_

_"I have to do something during the summer. There's no school to teach Phys. Ed to." Chad chuckled._

_"I know, I know. So what have you got this time? Is it another hit?" she asked._

_"I hope so Tay. This writing thing during the summer really brings in some extra cash. People actually read my junk." Chad replied looking at her._

_She squinted and read through his most recent paragraph. Almost as if she were reading his mind, Taylor was able to tell exactly what the story was about. A short story maybe, but a story nonetheless._

_"Wasn't aware that the story of how I fell for you was junk."_

_"Baby you know I didn't mean it like that." Chad said looking up at her. "But sometimes I just look at what I have on the screen and it all sounds totally stupid."_

_"It doesn't sound stupid in the least. I think your message shines through perfectly and has the right amount of description and dialogue." Taylor replied kissing him on the head. "Besides if you didn't hit your head on that locker in the first place and tried that first time to ask me out who knows where we'd be."_

_Chad couldn't help but laugh. Taylor had no idea how right she was. "I always said I knew what I wanted. And I wanted you." He placed one of his hands on her arms and caressed it. "So what message do you see in my story this time babe?"_

_Taylor cocked her head before resting it on top of Chad's slightly cut fro and kept her arms around him. One thing that never changed about Taylor was how much she had to analyze everything before speaking. The only difference now was that if something came out the wrong way she wasn't as afraid of it. She would let it come out on its own and deal with it, or correct it as soon as she realized what she had said._

_"I think it reflects on a slowly progressing relationship and how insecure some females can be when it comes to dating, especially in high school and for their first time. It becomes the slow transition from an awkward feeling to a much more comfortable atmosphere and not only learning more about the other person but herself as well." she explained. "The story is perfectly centralized around the thoughts of one character and everything we see or read about the other one is merely via observation of the main one. And as far as he goes, it doesn't follow the stereotypical jock. It's nice to see an athletic male with much insight to the real world."_

_"But they're not characters." Chad said with a smile._

_"You know that and I know that. But your readers don't know that." she giggled. "So aside from your usual junk what do you think of this latest tale?"_

_"Hm..." Chad thought for a minute before formulating his response, a habit he had easily picked up from Taylor. "...well because it's my own work I'm always gonna think something about it is junk. But any novel itself can have typos or errors in it that go unnoticed. The thing I was going for here is that my 'character' was slowly able to break away from the stereotypical jock that the reader only knows about from one or two paragraphs and is not only able to show a side to him no one's seen before but also proves that it's that side who he is and not the other side. Because let's be honest, if he never met the woman of his dreams that never would've happened. He followed his heart and it's emphasized in everything he does and look where it got him. To the beach with his girl where they..."_

_"you're not really going to add that in are you?" Taylor interrupted. "Who wants to see any couple at the beach doing that?"_

_"Guess that's a good point. But that was the first time we were able to move forward since the first kiss." Chad replied._

_"I know but still, some things are meant to be done in private." She gently messaged his shoulders, which made Chad moan in pleasure._

_"Baby that feels so good.... But I really need to finish this."_

_Yet another habit Chad picked up from Taylor: the need to get everything done on time or as soon as it was started._

_"I pull that on you all the time, you're not turning it around." Taylor shook her head._

_"Just one more paragraph...or at least let me write an outline so I'll be able to get everything else down perfectly right away. The little notes help." Chad replied with puppy dog eyes._

_Chad could never say no to Taylor when she gave him that look; she was most definitely no exception. "Alright. Just don't forget to add the part where the girl confesses about her monster crush on him..."_

_Chad smiled at her seductive tone. "...and they both finally realize that no matter what they did their hearts would lead to each other because they're able to balance each other out perfectly..."_

_"and don't care what their friends say because even though they come from different end of the school food chain it doesn't matter because they're not so different and they're not going to pretend they hate each other to satisfy everyone."_

_"I do so love the way you think." Chad told her planting a kiss on her neck. _

_Taylor giggled once more. "And with your pen name no one would ever know you're writing all of this."_

_"Let them think whatever they want. If there's any place I can let my heart out it's two places: you, and this computer." Chad said._

_"don't forget how much you talk to a certain someone else even though they're sound asleep two minutes into your monologue..." she teased._

_"Alright, alright, I would never forget him." Chad chuckled. "But I still need an ending to wrap the whole story together."_

_"Write down your little notes and get the rest of the big picture out of the way and then you can figure out an ending later. I know you, Chad, and if you continue writing now you'll go about it all night and refuse to stop until everything comes out just perfectly and you have the ending all written and everything. And then for you to stay awake even half the day you'll need three cups of coffee." she said._

_"I know. Don't worry, I'll be in our room in a few minutes." Chad promised. "So anything else we need to discuss before our relaxation time?"_

_"Actually there is. One minor detail. My sister's flying in from Oregon next week and she wants to stop by for a visit. What do you think about that?" Taylor replied as she sat on the arm of the chair._

_Chad rubbed his chin and wrapped his other arm around Taylor's waist. "Well there's the respectful side of calling her my wonderful sister-in-law followed by the disrespectful side which involves me muttering 'I hate my sister-in-law, I hate my sister-in-law'." He stopped just to hear Taylor giggle at that. Yes, just the typical detail when dealing with each others' families. There was always one person one side would dislike. "I do enjoy having your sister around and I think she's a wonderful asset to this household. She adores her children and her nephew so much. Not to mention that one call she makes every week just to check up on us and make sure we're all doing just fine. She is a very caring individual and I'm proud to be a part of her family. But there are times when I just can't stand her and I'm sure you know it. All of those times when she calls, she has to spend most of the time complaining about something or one of her children and end up bawling her eyes out making me think it'll end every time with her saying 'I want my mommy'. And I think she also has too much on her plate which makes her completely stressed out, and she takes out that stress on us. She has seven children to take care of and four of them were born at the same time. And I love my nieces and nephews and you know how I have to spoil them in their own ways, but juggling all of them with working, checking on us, and dealing with a lawyer husband who always has to travel...there just as to be a fine line drawn. And let's not forget my cooking. She has to correct everything I do." He heightened his voice to give it a more girlie sound, "That's too much pepper. You're chopping that tomato all wrong. you don't know how to clean the grill. Don't stick your head in the same sink where the dishes have been."_

_All of that had Taylor bursting out laughing. She knew how close their entire family was but yes indeed there were quirks that would bother anyone. and Chad was the only person she would let talk about her sister that way...besides herself, of course. The way Chad just went on like that made it so humorous._

_Chad smiled at her laughing. "And your opinion?"_

_Some things never change. "I love her dearly and there are times where I highly admire her, but I have to agree with you when I say she doesn't give us enough space. Every time she comes to visit we barely have any time for ourselves and we can never seem to get her out of the house long enough to do so. And her children are wonderful and they're growing up so fast but I think if she had an easier job, perhaps one that didn't require so many hours, then she would be able to spend more time with them. I feel like I know our nieces and nephews better than she knows them. Last time they were here for Thanksgiving she gave Carlos the white meat of the turkey and Harlow the dark meat when it's so obvious that Harlow doesn't like turkey and Carlos likes the dark meat. But my sister has always been one to take on more than she can handle even when she would never admit it was too much for her. I think she has yet to realize that she's not in school anymore and therefore does not have the proper balance in life. And I feel as though I have the right to say that her husband is a good for nothing cheapskate who cares more about his work than his family. The last time we saw him was at our wedding and even then we only saw him twice prior to that. She could do so much better and yet she refuses to acknowledge any issues. I love her and I look up to her, but sometimes I just feel like we were born out of order. My sister helped me so much when we were younger and now it feels like the roles have reversed."_

_"So she doesn't have to come over next week?" Chad asked hopefully._

_She laughed. "Oh honey don't be silly, of course she's coming over next week."_

_Chad could only nod. It was worth a try, at least. "Alright. But I demand some strictly exclusive us time before she comes."_

_He said it so seductively and yet there was a faint hint of forwardness in his voice that didn't make Chad sound pushy or desperate._

_"Fair enough. The day before, after we put our son to bed." Taylor agreed. Before Chad could even say anything, a cry was heard. It was a virtual cry, due to the fact that Taylor had a baby monitor attached to her belt. "Speak of the devil, he's awake. He has your need for attention, that's for sure."_

_"No bottle or diaper this time?" Chad asked. He was amazed at how skilled Taylor became in a few mere months to finally be able to tell the difference between a hungry cry, an attention cry, a changing cry, and a gas cry._

_"Nope, so that makes us off the hook. I'd better go check on him." Taylor replied as she got off the arm._

_"Alright. I'll check on him the next time. I'll be up in ten." Chad said holding her hand._

_"Don't keep me waiting too long ok?" she asked hopefully._

_"Never." Chad shook his head. He pushed himself out of his seat briefly to kiss Taylor, but because of the crying it didn't last too long. "Go." he whispered to her once they pulled apart._

_Taylor smiled and nodded. She moved some hair out of Chad's face before leaving the office._

_Chad sat down and turned back to his computer. He was still so focused on wanting to get the story finished, but he couldn't keep his heart waiting. While his head told him to try and get a head start on finishing, chad knew this wasn't the time to listen to it. And it certainly wasn't the time to listen to his gut because if he did then he'd be heading to the kitchen to make himself a snack. He smiled to himself and saved his work before turning off the computer. Some things were far more important._

_"Take me to my family, heart." he said with a smile before standing up from his chair and leaving the room, turning out the light and closing the door as he exited._

**_True to your heart_**

**_You must be true to your heart_**

**_True to your heart_**

**_you must be true to your heart_**

**True to your heart**

**You must be true to your heart**

**That's when the heavens will part**

**And baby shower you with my love**

**Open your eyes**

**Your heart can tell you no lies**

**And when you're true to your heart**

**I know it's gonna lead you straight to me**

* * *

Ok this one took a while to finish. Longest chapter i think i ever did. The first 9000 or so words i did in one night, then went back and forth all day today to try and remember where I was going with the story. xD I had a hard time figure out what to do with the last two choruses too, so I settled for a future-ish part of the story. Really hope that helped tie it all together. And like I said, sorry once again this took so long to update. The ideas apparently do not like to come fast enough. 0-0 Anyway I'll leave you all for now because your eyes probably hurt from reading so much. I will hopefully be able to update something else within the next three days! Until then, later everyone. Although I do feel like I'm forgetting something...did I ever remember to say happy 4th of July? Oh well, it's probably nothing to worry about. lol


	29. What You Don't Know, I Know

Well well well looky here, I'm making another update! lol I would love to use another one of the songs Rockyshadow suggested but I'm going to be honest, I had another brainstorm. I believe one of the songs I said I wanted to do was "That's How You Know". My reasoning for wanting to do that song is, while it's not a classic disneysong, I believe the movie Enchanted is a great culmination of classic Disney Princess movies. The evil stepmother and the losing of the slipper from Cinderella, the poisoned apple from Snow White, the queen/with/villainessturning into a dragon for the final battle from Sleeping Beauty, and the songs (while not a lot of them) present in the movie just give off that true Disney vibe while the story line and plot itself is different from the classic Disney movies. What I did is, I burned a CD of some of my favorite Disney songs and "That's How You Know" was one of them, and I knew I wanted to do something withthat song. So while I was listening to it in my car I was like, hey I got an idea. So while I was with a friend I was actually typing up the first paragraph of my idea on my cell phone for the idea. So I hope this songfic turns out as great as I want it to.  
Disclaimer: The song is not mine nor are the characters.

* * *

Taylor watched as Kelsi constantly paced around her condo looking as nervous as ever. What Taylor couldn't understand was why. Everything was going splendidly withKelsi. And out of all the people Kelsi could have gone to for help, she chose Taylor. She could have easily gone to Gabriella, but first of all Gabriella was busy and second of all Taylor was the one who everyone went to for advice. If anyone was stressed, worried, or nervous, then Taylor was the girl to go to. All Kelsi was clearly worried about was her wedding. Not that Taylor blamed her, of course; after all, a wedding was the perfect thing to be nervous about. There was so much to be concerned with: buying a dress, working out arrangements with the groom, planning everything, filling in all of the positions such as ring bearer, bride's maid, maid of honor, etc.... It all made total sense. In retrospect it was every girl's dream to have the perfect wedding. Well, if they intended on getting married anyway. And Kelsi was one of those girls who wanted a fairytale wedding.

Suddenly Kelsi shifted towards Taylor. "What if Ryan chickens out? Do you really think he's ready for this?"

Taylor blinked. Kelsi, for once, was not hesitant to get everything out there. And she was speaking so quickly and in a high-pitched voice; that definitely meant she was nervous. "Kelsi what are you talking about?" she asked calmly, sitting most comfortably on her L-shaped sofa.

"What if Ryan doesn't want to do this? What if he leaves me?" Kelsi panicked.

"Kels there's no need to think such things. Ryan always had a thing for you. I think it was obvious. I mean you two were always together, you got along so well..." Taylor stated.

"We were both in the drama club." Kelsi said, exasperated. "What if he leaves me for a guy?"

Taylor couldn't help but laugh. Out of everything Kelsi said she was worried about, this was the most ridiculous of things. "Ryan leave you for a guy? I have seen him eye so many girls. Do you even realize how many people mistake him for liking guys? Kelsi I'm sorry hon, but you are taking the pre-wedding jitters to a whole new level."

"It's not funny Taylor." Kelsi groaned, throwing herself on the couch next to her friend. "I'm serious, what if this is all a big mistake?"

"Kelsi you have to follow what's in your heart." Taylor said simply.

"What if my heart is wrong?" Kelsi asked. "How do I know Ryan really loves me?"

_How does she know you love her?_

_How does she know she's yours?_

"Believe me Kelsi, I have seen so many deceiving guys. If I told you how many cases I've had in the past year for divorces and the women complain to me about their lying husbands or about the men who have had it with their wives because they don't 'give them what they' want..." Taylor started.

"You have to listen to them. They're your clients." Kelsi replied.

"And I have to listen to you because you're my friend. And as my friend that's why I'm trying to help you. Believe me, I would be able to tell in a second that Ryan questions his feeling for you." Taylor responded. "And if you question your feelings for him then he might as well question his feelings for you. You know as well as I that the main concept of any relationship is honesty and without honesty there is no relationship. There has to be trust, love, and commitment for a marriage to work. And you and Ryan have all of those things. You trust each other, you love each other, and you have been in a very committed and exclusive relationship for five years. Just the fact that Ryan was finally able to work up the courage to propose to you has to mean that you're ready for your next step. This is it right here."

_How does she know that you love her?_

"I know you're trying to help Tay, I really do." Kelsi sighed. "But..."

"But nothing." she interrupted. "I may not be the most romance inclined person out there but I do believe that there's someone out there for everyone. And if I'm wrong about Ryan being the one guy for you then they might as well bring back all of the cartoons in the time period between the 1950's and 70's, replace them with reality television, make those actors work in soup kitchens, and take Skittles off of the market completely and feed them to the rats."

Kelsi couldn't help but groan. "Why must you be so stubborn?"

"I'm not being stubborn, I'm being honest." Taylor replied.

"So then tell me how you knew with Chad. How you knew anything about him." Kelsi insisted.

Taylor instantly took her head away from Kelsi's gaze. It wasn't something Taylor liked to talk about, her'sand Chad's past. Sure things were just fine now, but way back when they wanted nothing to do witheach other. At least ,Chad had wanted absolutely nothing to do withTaylor. And it hurt her because she wanted everything to do withhim. It wasn't one of those 'I'm in love withmy best friend but he only sees me as a friend' scenarios. They were never best friends. They were never even friends to begin with. And all the things that she did to get his attention he had just ignored completely. Taylor was never one to get crazy over guys let alone obsessed withthem. But Chad was different. She just wanted so much to be with him. And every time they were even stuck paired together on one project courtesy of a teacher he made Taylor do all the work and wouldn't say five sentences to her.

_How do you show her you love her?_

But after college things changed. Taylor had found herself at a club with some friends one night. She thought she was having some water but someone spiked her drink. Taylor completely blacked out that night and remembered none of the details. She didn't even remember who she woke up most she could recall of him was curly hair. Nothing else. And for some reason after that, Chad had been the one following her. He was the one trying to get her attention. And Taylor wouldn't give it to him. Part of her was no longer interested and the other part of her just wanted to get back at him for all the times he completely ignored her. it was a regular roller coaster. Finally, Taylor took him aside and asked him what his problem was. And Chad told her everything. He apologized for ignoring her so much when they were growing up, for looking down at her, and for calling her weird when all along she was an incredibly intelligent, caring, friendly person. And he felt like crap for the fact that it took him so long to realize all that.

And then he had dropped the bomb. Chad said how he was at a club one night celebrating something and he got drunk. He was far over his limit. And he confessed that the morning afterward that he was the one she woke up next to. And he went into every detail of it. He said how at first he couldn't believe it and that he had ended up drunk with some nerd - among numerous other things he had called her. But then, Taylor recalled, just as she was about to walk away from him when he told her all that he pulled her back and kept on talking. He had told her how nice and amazing she looked, and he remembered the exact smile she had on her face. Chad had said how he thought about her ever since and everything he had known about her from high school. Judging from all of that he found out that he knew nothing about her and wanted to get to know her better. At first Taylor wouldn't let him. But Chad had never been one to give up. He kept following her and trying to talk to her until she gave in. And honestly, the only reason she had given into him was to stop him from going to creepy crush man to full-on stalker. So she agreed to go on one date with him.

And then a funny thing happened. They began to mutually fall for each other. after all those years of mixed feelings, ridicule, hatred, arguing, and everything in between they actually started liking each other so much more. And Taylor must admit, there had been times when she questioned Chad's feelings for her. But he always found a way to prove that his feelings for her were real and true.

_How does she know that you really, really, truly love her?_

_How does she know that you love her?_

_How do you show her you love her?_

_How does she know that you really, really, truly love her?_

"Love is a funny thing Kels. It works in mysterious ways. One minute you could be hating someone completely. and then the next you could be kissing that very same person." Taylor finally answered. "It works for different reasons. To teach you a lesson, to show you that there's people you can open up to, to teach you not to rely on yourself all the time..."

"Well gee thanks, now I'm sure of one thing." Kelsi replied. "I'm positive that this wedding is a mistake."

"No it's not. Think about it Kelsi. How does Ryan show you how much he loves you?" Taylor asked.

Kelsi thought for a minute before responding. "Well...he takes everything I say seriously. He never takes me for granted. I wake up every morning and I see him right by my side. He'd say good morning, how was your sleep, and even ask if his snoring disturbed me. If I wasn't feeling well he'd get out of bed and bring some toast or a bagel right to me in bed. He makes sure I don't overwork myself without being overprotective. He's there when I need a shoulder to cry on."

"And those are all Ryan's ways of saying that he loves you. Even the simplest of things are proof." Taylor said. "If anything of the least quality, Ryan cares deeply for you."

_It's not enough to take the one you love for granted_

_You must remind her or she'll be inclined to say,_

_'How do I know he loves me?'_

_'How do I know he's mine?'_

"I know that much." Kelsi admitted.

"Look it's obvious you're just really nervous." Taylor said.

"You keep saying that." Kelsi complained.

"That's because you are. It doesn't take rocket science to figure that out." Taylor sighed.

"so if you're such an expert on love, what has Chad done to show you that he loves you?" Kelsi asked.

_Well does he leave a little note to tell you you are on his mind?_

_Send you yellow flowers when the sky is grey? Hey_

_He'll find his own way to show you, a little bit every day_

_Taylor had walked into her condo after a long day at the office. There were so many cases she had to deal within one day. First there was a custody issue withthree children and their parents who had just gotten a divorce. Then there was a problem with a teenager who claimed he was being framed for stealing something from a convenient store. After that she had gotten a call about taking a case to court about a murder and she had to defend the person who was supposedly the murderer. It was all stressful and exhausting. It made Taylor wonder why she even decided to become a lawyer. She felt like she didn't get any credit out of it except for money and a lot of thank yous if the case went in her favor. But the work load got so busy sometimes that she just couldn't see any of her friends and was so tired when she returned home that she'd skip dinner and go right to bed. The one bright side? Weekends off._

_This was one of those days that Taylor felt the need to go to bed right away. She just wanted to eat a little something first, knowing she wouldn't be able to fall asleep on an empty stomach. Something healthy yet something simple is what she desired. Taylor walked into her kitchen and glanced through the cabinets first. Cereal? Nope. Granola bar? Not in the mood. Fruit? No, those bananas looked like they went bad a few days ago. Girl scout cookies? No, those were for when friends came over. Sighing, she closed the cabinet door and went to the refrigerator. When she opened the door she first took out a water bottle and took a few sips. She put it away and closed the fridge. That's when she saw something on the door - besides her sticky notes and magnets of course._

_It was a note from Chad. A small smile came on her face as she plucked it off from the magnet that was holding it up. She felt a little more awake now; Chad had that effect on her. That was right, she recalled, he had spent the night with her. She had to leave early that morning while he was still sleeping. While feeling guilty that she had to walk out on him, she did leave a note and told him where some of the breakfast foods were - mainly the yogurt and bagels since he wouldn't have to worry about making those himself. And the note that Chad had left her was a response to that. It read: "Hey Tay. Hope you had a good day at work. Don't worry, I saw your message. I didn't wanna trouble you with breakfast so after I'm done writing this note I'm heading home...which I guess means that I'll be long gone by the time you read this." And then there was a smiley face next to it that looked like it was going to burst out laughing. Taylor let a giggle escape her as she continued reading: "I'll be home from work by 7. You can call my any time after that. If you need to vent about what witches your clients or bosses are being you can always talk to me. I'll have my phone on and it'll be great to hear your voice. And if you need any distressing let me know. I'll come over in a heartbeat. Love, Chad." And then there was another smiley face. How Chad loved those guys so much._

_And after reading that note Taylor didn't feel tired anymore. As a matter of fact, she felt wide awake. With a smile on her face, she returned to the living room and picked up her phone. Dialing Chad's number in nearly the blink of an eye, she waited for an answer from him. Her smile only grew when she heard his voice._

_"Hey Chad. I got your note. Now about the distressing you offered..."_

_That's how you know_

_That's how you know_

_He's your love_

_Taylor looked out her window to see that the sky was dark and it was pouring down rain. Strikes of lightning could be seen in the distance and she knew that meant thunder had to be on its way as well. It was going to be some storm. Chad was finishing his dinner at the moment; he cleared his plate and put it in the sink before going over to Taylor. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her._

_"Watching the rain, Tay-Tay?" he asked._

_"Yeah." she nodded softly. "It looks like we can't go to the beach tonight." she added, recalling the plans for the date they had made._

_"We can have just as good a date here." Chad said looking at her._

_"i know. I was just looking forward to a warm night on the beach is all." Taylor admitted._

_"Well I think I can fix that." Chad said with a smile._

_"How?" Taylor inquired, turning to him._

_"You just leave that to me, baby. Trust me. I'll get a smile back on your face." Chad promised. He gave her a peck on the lips and headed out the door with his car keys and jacket._

_Taylor watched with confusion as he left, wondering what he was planning. She hoped that Chad wouldn't go too far though; she hated people she cared about driving in such horrible weather. Sighing, she walked over to the couch and sat down, flipping through the channels on TV. And somehow it wasn't as fun without Chad around. It went on like that for a good hour, just trying to find something on TV and having no one to sit next to her or hold her close. Another hour had passed and Taylor fell asleep on the couch. She had no idea what happened to Chad, but she was hoping he hadn't gotten into an accident. Or that he just decided to ditch her. So she remained in her condo waiting for him to return. But in the midst of her sleep she didn't hear the door open and close. The first thing that she noticed was a soft, masculine voice and a gentle shaking of her shoulder._

_"Tay baby, wake up."_

_Taylor's eyes fluttered as she turned to lay on her back. As her vision became clearer she could see Chad standing over her with a smile on his face and his other hand behind his back._

_"Where have you been?" Taylor asked him sleepily._

_"I went to go pick you up a little something." Chad said. Smiling, he pulled out the big yellow flowers he had from behind his back and handed them to Taylor._

_Taylor gasped and sat up on the cushions. Her eyes fell on the large sunflowers and she admired them so. She gently took them out of Chad's hands and breathed in their sweet aroma. "where did you find these? you know sunflowers are my favorite."_

_"I just thought you might like some cheering up." Chad told her. "You like?"_

_'I love." she exclaimed with a wide, thankful smile. "I love very much."_

_You've got to show her you need her_

_Don't treat her like a mind reader_

_Each day do something to need her_

_To believe you lover her_

_Taylor awoke fairly late one Sunday morning to what felt like an incessant ringing. Groaning as she forced herself to wake up and not appear so tired, she reached across her bed and answered her phone._

_"Hello?" she yawned._

_"Morning Tay." a very stuffed up Chad answered from the other end._

_"Chad is that you?" she asked almost not recognizing his voice. "honey you sound horrible."_

_"I know. I think I caught something." Chad coughed. "Can you come over and make me feel better?"_

_"i'll be there in a half hour alright? Stay in bed and if you get hungry for breakfast just grab some saltine crackers." Taylor informed him._

_"Ok baby." Chad replied._

_Taylor hung up right away and didn't waste any time to get dressed. Making sure her attire at least matched for the day, she then grabbed half of a bagel to eat, then brushed her teeth and did her hair. That took between fifteen and twenty minutes, and she was at Chad's house exactly a half hour after she hung up. Thank you small amount of traffic. Walking over to his apartment door, Taylor knocked on it to see if Chad could hear her. After all, she didn't want to barge in._

_"Who is it?" she heard Chad groan._

_"It's me, Chad. Can I come in?" she asked._

_"Yeah. It's opened." he coughed._

_Taylor didn't waste another minute. She opened the door and closed it right behind her. She speed walked into Chad's room and went to his bedside, feeling his forehead._

_"Your forehead doesn't feel warm."_

_"It just came on suddenly. I think it's a twenty-four hour thing." Chad replied._

_"Well you certainly sound sick. I'll take your temperature just in case." Taylor said. "Have you eaten anything?"_

_"Not yet. Just a drink of water." Chad answered._

_"I'll go to the bathroom and get the thermometer. You stay right here ok hon?" she replied, then made her way out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. It must have taken her less than two minutes, however when she returned to Chad's room he looked like he was trying not to laugh. Taylor's eyes widened, wondering what had come over him. And even more so, what kind of trick he was playing no her._

_"Chad Danforth what kind of game are you playing? This is not funny!"_

_"I'm sorry Tay." Chad apologized, sounding perfectly normal again. "I guess I couldn't keep up the charade around you for very long."_

_"What charade?" she demanded. "You mean you were never sick? You made me rush over here early in the morning for nothing? What, did you feel deprived of our time in bed?"_

_"not in the very least." he shook his head seriously, sitting up. "I just thought this would be the perfect excuse to get you to come over."_

_"and why, pray tell, would you think such a thing?" Taylor questioned._

_"Because I can't live without you, Taylor." he admitted. "And if I don't have you in my life then I'll be feeling worse than the show I put on every day. I need you and I love you."_

_Taylor looked at him disappointed and shook her head. "You are such an idiotic lunkhead, do you know that?" she asked him, gently slapping him on his head. She saw Chad flinch and rub the back of his head, and then her look softened. Taylor sat down beside him and looked him right in the eyes. "But I love you for it."_

_Everybody wants to live happily ever after_

_Everybody wants to know their true love is true_

_How do you know he loves you?_

_How do you know he's yours?_

_Taylor recalled one night when she and Chad were out with Troy and Gabriella. Troy had been in the slumps because he had lost his current job and felt like he lost his edge and was facing a tough case of low self-esteem issues. Gabriella had suggested a double date for the four of them to cheer Troy up, even though it didn't seem to be doing much. The group was looking through their menus to decide what they wanted to eat for dinner._

_"Troy what would you like?" Gabriella asked, looking at her boyfriend._

_"What does it matter? you know what I get every time." Troy sighed, obviously still down in the dumps. And unfortunately, when Troy was in the dumps, he was less than his usual self._

_"Well I just thought you might be tasting something different tonight." she replied._

_"Well I'm not. You know I always get the same thing when we come here." Troy groaned._

_Meanwhile Chad was glancing over at Taylor, who was looking carefully through the menu. "See anything you like Tay?"_

_"I don't know. I usually get the pasta but I'm not really tasting buttersauce tonight." she admitted. "I'm wondering if I should get the lobster."_

_"It looks pretty good to me." Chad said. "I mean, you're not allergic to shellfish so it should be just fine for you."_

_"I suppose you're right." Taylor replied. "Do you know what you're getting, or can I assume it's the barbecued chicken again so I can tell our waiter while you go off to the bathroom?"_

_"Actually I think I'll go with what you're having." Chad said. "The lobster looks pretty good."_

_"You don't think I can finish it all?" she inquired. "And you always get the chicken."_

_"I know." Chad nodded. "But I shouldn't expect you to read my mind every time. I'm actually tasting some seafood tonight. And if you let me share the lobster with you maybe we can split an appetizer."_

_"I kind of like the sound of that." Taylor agreed. "Are you thinking mozzarella sticks?"_

_"If you want them then we'll get them." Chad replied._

_"But you don't want them do you?" Taylor assumed._

_"I'd be more than happy to eat anything you'd like for you." he told her. "And maybe for dessert we can split that banana split sundae?"_

_Taylor smiled as she glanced at Chad. "you've read my mind."_

_Well does he take you out dancing just so he can hold you close?_

_Dedicate a song with words meant_

_Just for you? Oooh!_

_"Hey Tay!" Chad called cheerfully as he walked right into her condo._

_Taylor let a sigh escape her. She put down her sudoku book and placed the pen inside the bookmark the puzzle that she was on. As much as she loved Chad, it was such a peaceful, quiet day until he came barging in uninvited. For once._

_"Haven't you heard of knocking?" she inquired._

_"I've heard plenty of phrases with different tenses of the word 'knock' in them." Chad replied innocently._

_"so what are you doing here anyway? you're supposed to be working." Taylor said turning to face him._

_"I know. I left work early." Chad replied. "You wouldn't believe the luck I've had. I won tickets for dance lessons." The way he emphasized the word 'won' you'd think he was lying and actually bought them instead._

_"And don't dance lessons usually have some hot and, depending on the origin of the dance, Hispanic or Swedish dancer teach you the movies?" she asked him._

_"Yes. But see, I called the place up." Chad explained, sounding as casually as possible. Yup, something had to be going on. "Andthey agreed to give me two instructors so we could both learn to dance as long as I pay ten extra dollars."_

_"Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?" she questioned._

_"But you love dancing. And you're one of the best dancers I've ever seen." Chad said._

_"I'm the only dancer you've ever seen." Taylor said as-a-matter-of-factly._

_"And you're incredible." Chad said honestly. "I love dancing with you."_

_That must have given it away. Taylor folded her arms and quirked an eyebrow. "And you totally bought those tickets so you could have the perfect excuse to dance with me, didn't you?"_

_And of course there was no getting around Taylor once she figured something out. "Busted." Chad squeaked._

_"Why would you do that Chad?" Taylor asked._

_"Because I wanted to do something special with you. We haven't had to go to any parties or weddings and those are the best places to dance with people you care about. And I adore dancing with you. when we're in a big group and can't really make any moves it's the perfect way to hold you close." he explained._

_Taylor's look softened. "You know we can just dance here or at your apartment."_

_"I know. But I can hold you close there any time I want. It'll mean something more if we do it while we're out." Chad admitted._

_Taylor folded her arms and put on her thinking face. Yup, she was definitely considering her options. Plus it was a good way to tick off Chad, or at least get him nervous. She waited until she was just in front of him before meeting his gaze and giving him a straight face. Chad looked at her nervously, hoping that he wasn't in trouble. Hey, anyone could guess that was the kind of face he was giving her. And then, Taylor let out a giggle and smiled._

_"So what are we still doing here? We've got a dance lesson to go to."_

_He'll find his own way to tell you_

_With the little things he'll do_

_That's how you know_

_That's how you know_

_He's your love_

_He's your love_

_Taylor walked into Chad's apartment after finishing with work one night. They had planned a special dinner, especially after Chad had gotten a promotion at his own job. Taylor was expecting some kind of big meal. Maybe something on the grill or a whole chicken, maybe even a turkey. Imagine her surprise when she entered the kitchen and there was just a plate of spaghetti made. There was a plate for Chad and a plate for Taylor matched with a single candle in the middle of the table along with two glasses of wine, one for each of them, and a glass of their favorite drinks. Taylor glanced around the kitchen before her eyes fell on Chad, who was dimming the lights._

_"What's going on in here?" she asked._

_"I'm sorry Tay. I know you were expecting some big extravagant dinner." Chad sighed as he walked over to her. "But the super market was out of meat. and the only chicken they had left was expired. But this was the dinner we had on our first date so I know how much you like it."_

_Taylor shook her head. "Chad you wouldn't need to plan a big fancy dinner just for me." She looked over at the table, then back at Chad. "what you have right here is more than just fine. It's perfect. Because you know me and you know what I like."_

_"I was hoping you'd like it." Chad said sheepishly._

_Taylor giggled. "I more than like it Chad. I think it was absolutely sweet and thoughtful."_

_That's how you know_

_He loves you_

_That's how you know_

_It's true_

_"Hey Taylor what color goes with brown?" Chad asked one day randomly._

_"And you ask this because...?" Taylor inquired as she flipped through a magazine._

_"Because...I was thinking about your beautiful brown eyes?" Chad answered even though it sounded more like a question._

_"Right..." Taylor said slowly, obviously not believing him._

_"Come on, you know more about colors than I do." Chad sighed._

_"That's because color is all about observation. Much like how everyone knows the only time red and green don't clash is on Christmas. and that white and black, while not technically colors, can go with anything. But you're much more creative and artistic than I am." she replied._

_"And I now that purple and green will never go together either but I don't know what goes with brown." Chad admitted._

_Taylor placed the magazine down and thought for a minute. "The first color that comes to mind is pink."_

_"Pink?" Chad gulped, hating that color so._

_"Yes. If they didn't match then I wouldn't have a pair of brown pants with a pink stripe down the side." Taylor said simply._

_"I'll be right back." Chad said quickly, rushing out._

_Taylor raised an eyebrow and watched him leave. She slowly returned to her reading, wondering what has gotten into Chad. It took her about a half hour to finish the magazine, after doing a crossword puzzle in there of course, which was just around the time that Chad returned. She was quite shocked to see Chad return in a pink shirt and brown - or perhaps they were some kind of dark beige - pants. Taylor's mouth dropped._

_"Chad...what did you do?"_

_Chad smiled modestly and shrugged. "You said brown and pink went together."_

_"But you dispise pink with every fiber of your being." she gasped._

_"But pink and brown go together. Now we match." Chad admitted. "And there was no way I was gonna get pink contact lenses." he added with a chuckle._

_Taylor got off the couch and went over to Chad, pulling him in for a big hug. "Why do you want to match me?"_

_"Because you have very pretty brown eyes and I wanted to match them for once." Chad said with a smile._

_"Have i ever mentioned what a lovable lunkhead you are?" she asked._

_"Yes." Chad nodded happily. "Plenty of times."_

_He has to wear your favorite color_

_Just so he can match your eyes_

_Plan a private picnic_

_By the fire's glow, oh!_

_Chad and Taylor walked through the park on a warm, breezy summer evening. He was practically leading her in circles but Taylor didn't care. She was having a great time, and after they were both busy with so much work they needed some of this alone time. But Chad was acting so suspicious, like he ws planning something._

_"Chad have you been hiding something from me this whole night?" she asked about half way into their walk._

_"why would you ever think that?" he asked innocently._

_"Just a theory is all." Taylor shrugged her shoulders._

_"Well you think too much." Chad teased._

_"And you don't think enough." she teased right back._

_"Maybe I don't," he admitted, "but I have plenty of reasons to think a lot when I'm with you. I don't feel like I do useless stuff and especially for no reason."_

_"And would you, by any chance, be going somewhere with this?" she inquired._

_"Nope. But we are." Chad answered. "Follow me."_

_He gently dragged her through a good portion of the park before they started walking uphill. It was the tallest hill in the park, so it was quite a walk. But when they got to the top Taylor was amazed to see what Chad had set up. There was a checkered blanket spread across the grass with a picnic basket resting on top of it and a candelabra beside it. It was so simple, but so sweet. And it had a great view of the rest of the park, as well as a small portion of downtown Albuquerque which looked very lively with all of its lit up lights at night._

_"Oh my God,Chad you did all this?" Taylor exclaimed._

_"Yup. I thought we'd do something simple tonight, and we haven't done a picnic in forever." he replied._

_"Well I think it's an amazing gesture." Taylor told him._

_"And wait until you see what's inside." Chad replied with a smile, taking her over and sitting her down on the blanket. "We've got sandwiches, bottled water, your favorite fruit, some wrapped up salad..."_

_"And what's for dessert?" Taylor asked sweetly._

_Chad grinned and turned to her. "That depends. What would you like for dessert?"_

_"I'm thinking some of this." Taylor smiled warmly before pulling him into a gentle yet passionate kiss._

_Chad returned to action and when they pulled away moments later, Chad's regular smile turned into more of a goofy one. "Maybe we should skip dinner and go right to dessert."_

_His heart will be yours forever_

_something every day will show_

"Taylor? Taylor?"

But Taylor didn't hear her friend. She was still lost in her memories about what Chad has done for her. They were sometimes stupid and reckless, but overall so sweet and thoughtful. Despite their rocky relationship especially when it first started, Taylor didn't once question her feelings for him and she always know that he had her best interests at heart. He was only showing her that she cared. She couldn't help but smile as she continued her daydreaming flashback of her and Chad in the park that night...

"Taylor!"

_That's how you know_

_That's how you know_

_That's how you know_

_That's how you know_

_That's how you know_

_That's how you know_

_That's how you know_

Taylor quickly snapped out of it when Kelsi raised her voice. "I'm sorry, what?"

Kelsi sighed. "I'll ask one more time, because you seemed so dazed for the past fifteen minutes," she gave in, "what has Chad done to show you that he loves you?"

Taylor smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Everything. He's done these big grand gestures and he's done the simple little things. He always calls me when he wakes up and before he goes to bed..."

"Unless you go to bed with him?" Kelsi quirked an eyebrow.

"Touché." Taylor replied, knowing she couldn't fight that logic.

"I'm just saying..." Kelsi started.

"I'm home!"

Taylor's grin widened as she turned to the door and saw Chad walk in. "Hey. How'd it go?" she asked him.

"Same old, same old." he replied placing his coat on the coat rack. "I'm just glad the dog didn't try to attack me on my way home."

Taylor giggled. "You worry about that little scamp too much."

"He's a German Shappard." Chad replied.

"He's a puppy." Taylor corrected.

"Something I should know about?" Kelsi wondered.

"Nah, just a neighbor's dog. No big deal." Chad shook his head. He turned to face Kelsi. "So, big day's coming up soon. You ready?"

"Not by a long shot." she shook her head.

"I've spent the entire day trying to calm her down and prove to her that Ryan's her true love." Taylor told Chad.

"How romantic of you." Chad said with a smile. He turned to Kelsi again. "Tay knows what she's talking about Kels. I say you should listen to her."

"But-" she started.

"No buts." Chad interrupetd. "i mean, it's gonna be hard sometimes. There's gonna be fights and disagreements but Ryan's worth it. I even called him during my lunch break today. He's just as nervous as you are, believe me. I think you should go over to him and distress him a little."

"Ryan isn't stressed.... Is he?" Kelsi asked worriedly.

Taylor shrugged innocently.

Kelsi pushed herself off the couch right away. "I'd better get going. Thanks for listening guys!" she called, running out the door.

"Any time Kels. Call me tomorrow!" Taylor yelled after her, even though by then Kelsi was probably out of earshot.

_He's your love_

_That's how she knows that you love her_

_That's how you show her you love her_

Chad smiled and sat down next to Taylor on the couch, slipping his arm around her. "So it went over that well, huh?"

"Well...I might have zoned out for a while." Taylor confessed.

"How so?" Chad wondered.

"Kelsi asked how I knew that you loved me. And I thought about all the things that you've done for me to prove your feelings are true." Taylor told him.

"I wouldn't have a better reason to do half the stuff I do for you." Chad shook his head. "And the only other woman I'd think to treat that well is my mother." He paused and quickly asked, "She didn't call to check up on me today did she?"

Taylor laughed. "No she didn't."

"Good." Chad sighed with relief. "She's so overprotective."

"But your dad did leave a message." Taylor said.

"And let the fatherly lecture on the official rest of my life begin." Chad groaned.

"Hey it won't be so bad." Taylor assured him, rubbing his shoulder a little. "I heard that Ryan's father was very easy on him."

Chad gave her a doubtful look. "My dad's totally different you know."

"I know." she admitted. "But it won't be so bad."

"And if it does get bad you'll be there to save me from him?" Chad asked hopefully.

Taylor smiled and nodded. "Of course, silly. I'd do that because I love you."

"And I'd do the same for you if either of your parents went that besserk." Chad replied. "Which reminds me, when should we start out cake shopping?"

"Next week." Taylor answered right away. "and then we have to talk flowers."

"Sunflowers." chad said right away.

"You know me so well." Taylor replied.

"I know my love." Chad shrugged modestly.

"And how do I know you love me?" Taylor teased playfully.

Chad smiled and wrapped his arms around her, slowly pulling her onto his lap. "Because i'm gonna hold you close. I'm gonna make you your favorite dinner. I'm gonna dye all my white shirts pink. I'm gonna take you on a picnic by the beach. I'll clean my side of the room so you don't have to deal with my pigsty, I'm gonna take dance lessons just with you so I won't look like a total idiot, and every time I go out somewhere even if I see you before I leave I'm gonna leave you a note."

Taylor smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. "And that's how I know you're my love."

_That's how you know_

_That's how you know_

_He's your love_

* * *

This took a couple of days to finish. I'm actually typing this a/n now at almost 12:30 am which means, if i know what's good for me, is bedtime. So I will keep this one short and say two things. Thing 1 - I have updated my profile with some hopefully entertaining things and you will also be able to read updates for my stories on there such as what Im doing to work on them or when the next chapter of a story should be up,and I also put up a new icon. XD And thing 2 - I will leave you all to either enjoy this chapter as much as you like or just go on with any other story you need to catch up on because it's bedtime for me. So I say to you all, happy reading and good night. c:


	30. Someday

Yeah I know, weird of me to randomly update this when I have at least one story to finish. But honestly...I don't know, i just started getting a brainstorm. It started with a commercial for Tiffany Thorton saying she had a music video for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition and I was thinking, wait a minute isn't that one of the song suggestions for this? So then I listened to the song on youtube, and then Ashley Tisdale's version. The original version is really short but I really didn't start getting into Ashley's version until the middle when yet another brainstorm came. So to honor the first Disney animated film...not to mention practically Disney's first film...I'm going to use the song from the movie, and hopefully soon give you a bonus chapter with Ashley's version of the song. So enjoy!  
Disclaimer: I don't own the song or the characters.

* * *

"Princess what are you doing out here?"

The young woman turned to her sister, her gown spinning along with her body. She was standing on the balcony and looking at another young woman her senior of at least two years, who was standing in the young lady's quarters. The princess watched as her sister eyed her. She could feel those eyes piercing right through her petite body. She picked up a hand and gently ran her fingers through her dark brown, almost black, shoulder-length locks. Her deep brown eyes met her sister's through the few bangs in her face and she could feel a light pink penetrating her dark skinned cheeks.

"I was just..." she started, appearing to be at a loss for words.

The girl sighed and shook her head before approaching the princess. She entered the balcony and stood beside her before looking up at the brightly lit sky in mid daylight. She then went to fold her arms on the banister and remained quiet, almost as though she knew exactly where this was going.

"You're daydreaming again, Taylor."

"I don't know what you're talking about." she replied softly before gently moving a finger about the banister and refusing to make eye contact once more.

"You always do this, princess. You come out here in the middle of the day and just stare out into space." her sister giggled faintly and shook her head. "I'm sorry to disappoint, but you know you can't do that. You're my successor you know."

"I can't success you all by myself." Taylor admitted before leaning against the banister completely.

"This coming from the girl who says she doesn't need a man to do her every bidding?" her sister quirked an eyebrow.

"It's said, or at least to the extent of, that behind every man is a strong woman. Therefore there's no reason that behind a strong woman there can't be just as good a man." she replied. This princess was certainly no damsel in distress; she was highly intelligent. While there were times where she could be very opinionated, even Taylor knew that not everything could be done alone. If there was a princess then there had to be a prince. As stereotypical as it may have sounded, it was true. Most people had the picture of a prince somewhere in the minds when they thought of princess. Even some of the most famous yet fictional princesses had a supportive, attractive, and diplomatic prince by their side. Jasmine had Aladdin, Cinderella had Charming, and Snow White had...well, the Prince. And what's more, a princess couldn't rule a kingdom alone. Not always. It was like being one of those presidents they always heard about; those presidents had their little cabinet of people from the secretary, treasury and so on to assist them. So, whether it was one way or another, a princess at some point would need her prince.

"You are just such a romantic." her sister giggled.

"Maybe. But there's nothing wrong with a little dreaming." Taylor shook her head. "So I know for a fact. My prince will come someday."

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it." she replied. "All I'm saying, is that instead of standing out here daydreaming you should be getting ready for your duties and your coronation."

"I haven't forgotten." she shook her head before turning to her sibling. "I won't let you down, sister."

"I know you won't." she replied with a smile before leaving the young princess to her dreams.

Taylor turned back and leaned up against the banister just staring up at the bright, sunny afternoon sky. She knew that once in a while she could let the bit of hopeless romantic in her escape, but that's who she was. Even though some people could prove that there was no such thing as true love, Taylor really believed that such a thing existed. How was she even supposed to think of ruling anything when the thought of her prince coming for her one day?

**Some day my prince will come**

**Some day we'll meet again**

_Taylor could remember a day when she had seen such a prince. It was when she was much younger, still a child. She had been in the garden of the castle picking flowers and watching birds and butterflies fly by like most other princesses would do, or so she'd been told. It was at that time, her parents the king and queen were having some kind of meeting in the castle. Taylor wasn't quite sure what so she had stayed out of it. And being so young, of course nothing of the political nature peaked her interest. But then something did._

_Taylor had heard footsteps, meaning that someone was approaching. She was frightened at first, assuming it was someone sneaking up on her or something. But it turned out instead to be a young boy just about her age. She could remember his looks exactly. His skin tone was about the same shade as hers and he had this bouncy, inviting brown curly hair popping out to his sides. She remembered that it looked fun enough to bounce on if it were big enough. He was a little scrawny at the time, but then again what little kids weren't? None that Taylor had seen, that was for sure. And his attire certainly reminded her of a prince. He just looked so dignified in his little kiddie suit and cocky but goofy smile. And his eyes...man, how his eyes drew her in! They were so chocolaty and gorgeous. They made her heart melt in an instant, even for a little kid. There was no doubt that he would grow up to be a very handsome, very successful prince._

_All it took was less than a second for their eyes to lock. Not only was it enough to make Taylor's heart melt but it caused her breath to be caught in her throat. And call her crazy, but she was sure that he had to have felt something, too. He hadn't moved an inch or blinked in all that time their eyes met._

_"Hi..." he finally spoke in a quiet, almost stammering manner._

_The heat rose to Taylor's cheeks and she tightened her grip on the flowers she held._

_"Hi..." she replied in a soft, almost inaudible voice._

_The boy took a few steps closer to her and she instantly held the flowers close to her face, almost covering half of herself with their petals. The boy saw this and stopped where he was. Taylor only picked her head up from the flowers slightly._

_"I sorry. I din't meana scare you." the boy apologized, putting his hands behind his back and gently moving one of his feet around the ground in a circular motion._

_It would be difficult for an adult to say that wasn't cute. At the time Taylor only saw it as sweet. But this was so new to her; she hadn't come in contact with much boys her own age before then and especially not any princes. She just had no idea how to act around him._

_"It ok." she said quietly, not sure what else to say._

_The curly-haired child glanced at her and his cheeks almost looked red even thought the loose locks of hair around them. _

_"I like flowers." he said, barely speaking up._

_Taylor only managed to bring her voice up a little in response._

_"Thank you."_

_"They pretty like you." he added, quickly looking away as soon as those words escaped his mouth._

_Taylor's entire face became red at his comment. A shy smile came across her face before she looked at him again._

_"You want one?"_

_He turned his head to her again and blinked._

_"Can I?"_

_"Uh-huh." she nodded. She slowly got up and made her way over to him, and her shyness slowly began vanishing. Taylor took one of the flowers from her little bouquet and held it out to the boy._

_He slowly reached out to take the flower and their fingers brushed up against each other for a millisecond. Even then they could feel some kind of spark. He made sure to slowly move his arm away from her, especially since he didn't seem to completely understand what happened._

_Taylor didn't seem to comprehend herself. All she knew was that she felt something, but it wasn't the kind of shock that would make her want to pull away. It was nice._

_But before either of them could say another word, someone called out in the distance for the boy._

_"Prince, come. We're leaving!"_

_The young male turned his head to a much older man, signalling for him to come over. His face fell as he saw this, but he didn't want to go. He then looked back at Taylor._

_"I gotsa go." he told her sadly._

_Even then there was a high sense of naivety._

_"Can you come back again so we can play?" she asked hopefully._

_"I hope so." he admitted. "I likes you."_

_"I likes you too." she replied with a warm smile, and he returned it._

_"Prince, didn't you hear me?" the man called again._

_He looked in his direction, then back at Taylor. He smiled at her and grasped the flower tightly before slowly walking away from her._

_The last thing Taylor could remember was the young boy getting into the carriage and then glancing at her through the back window just as the carriage rode off into the distance._

**And away to his castle we'll go**

**To be happy forever I know**

Taylor always held onto that false hope that the prince would come back someday and then they'd ride off together. That they would be reunited and nothing could tear them apart. Maybe it really was a false hope. And yet she didn't give up on it. She couldn't even count all the times she'd dreamt of meeting up with him again. Taylor hadn't seen any other princes around nor would she want to.

As childish as it may have sounded, she loved him. She loved that goofy smile he had when they first met. She loved how inviting his hair looked and how unique it was. She loved the sound of his voice and how gentle and loving it seemed. And she absolutely loved those eyes and how they reminded her so much of chocolate. It was simply love at first sight. A true princess tale. They didn't need to know anything about each other, not even their names. All they had to do was look at each other for one second and they would feel something.

But still, Taylor had wished she knew his name. Then maybe she'd know who to look for. Maybe know which kingdom he lived in. Just the littlest thing she could learn from him, she'd know from his name.

Looking out at one of the tree branches by the balcony she could see a pair of birds with their some kind of mating ritual. How adorable that looked. At least someone had their prince around here. She watched as one of the birds groomed itself and the other was looking around...or maybe just at Taylor and wondering why she was staring at them.

"Some day my prince will come." she said as though they were listening. "He's out there. And I'm going to find him."

The bird tilted its head and tweeted with what must have been confusion. The second bird then let out a few tweets of its own before hopping closer to the first bird and cuddling up with it.

Taylor giggled at the sight.

"Better hold on tight to that guy. Don't let him get away." she told the bird. She sighed contently and then looked back up at the sky.

**Some day when spring is here**

**We'll find out love anew**

Taylor was completely taken in by the beautiful blossoming flowers on the trees. A gentle breeze blew and a couple of the flowers were carried off the branches and into the wind. The greenness of the tree's leaves only spread along with the flowers as the birds began flying around the tree and searching for the perfect place on it to make their nest. Taylor observed their every movement. They made this all seem so easy. In a mere five minutes, these little critters have gone from flying solo to making their own home together.

What she was unaware of, however, was that someone was passing by and taking in her own beauty. It was a young man most likely around the same age as her, riding by on a lovely white stallion. It was unknown whether he was there for a reason or if he really was just passing by, but the important thing was that he was there and he had seen Taylor. He was smitten with her right away. He tugged on his horse's reigns slightly so it would walk as slow as possible. Not once did this boy remove his gaze from the young woman. A smile began growing on his face as he watched her. Her arms were now on the banister and her head was resting on top of them. Such a simple portrait and yet the most beautiful sight he's ever lay his eyes on.

Finally halting his steed, the man then slowly and quietly climbed down from it and began making his way closer to the balcony. His smile only grew as he got closer. He adjusted his light jacket ever so carefully, almost like he was involuntarily trying to make himself look perfect just for her.

"It's you."

His voice was soft and gentle, but just loud enough to be heard. He was standing almost directly under the balcony when he spoke.

Taylor blinked hearing the voice. Something about it...it just seemed so familiar. Deep, maybe, but just familiar. Maybe it was the tone of his voice or just who it made her think of. She picked her head up at once and looked around, trying to follow the direction it was coming from. After looking back and forth for a few seconds, she then looked down and found herself locking eyes with him. Her eyes widened at first, but at an instant she could see the familiarity in them. No words escaped her mouth for the moment but she knew exactly who it was. A smile came across her face and it only spread as she watched him find something on the side of the castle. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched him climb up the side and make her way up to her.

It was with his every movement that she slowly took in each of his features. There was that bouncy, curly hair moving along with him as he found a way to take every possible step forward. There was so much more of it but it was so under control now. It was no longer popping out to the sides but looked more like the mane of a wonderous lion. He looked so much taller than he once was. And once he was able to reach the edge of the balcony and climb over the banister to face her, Taylor could see that he had indeed grown. He looked so strong and dignified. The perfect image of not just a handsome prince but also a knight in shining armor. His smile was so warm and goofy, though not as cocky. It was matching hers exactly and Taylor had never seen a more gorgeous grin. And this his eyes, the one feature that drew her in from the start. They were shining so brightly through his bangs and meeting her exact gaze. Not once did either of them take their eyes off of each other.

Unable to contain it anymore, Taylor's smile grew even wider and she let out a breath of contentment after just barely managing to get it out of her throat.

"You came back..."

"Of course I did. I've never forgotten." he replied with a smile. He then moved his hand to pull out a flower from his jacket and held it out to her. It looked a bit wilted but somehow still colorful. The same color that it had the day they met.

"You kept it..." Taylor realized as she reached out for it.

"Always." he said as their hands touched when she reached for the flower.

**And wedding bells will ring**

**some day when my dreams come true**

There was that spark again. It was just the same as when they met. It wasn't the static shock kind of spark. It was the kind of spark that didn't make them want to let go.

"You know...we were never formally introduced." Taylor managed to say, completely lost in his eyes again.

"We'd better fix that then." the prince replied smoothly. "Prince Chad at your service." He took her hand and placed a kiss on it.

Taylor could feel her heart melting once again. It was just so romantic.

"Princess Taylor." she replied with a shy smile, almost feeling as though she were in a dream.

"You have a coronation soon don't you?" Chad wondered.

"To take over for my sister. She should be joining forces with another kingdom. And she's putting me in charge here." Taylor answered.

"And the handsome young prince standing by your side?" he inquired.

He was just so sweet and modest.

"There isn't one. Yet." she admitted.

"Is there any chance that we could fix that?" Chad wondered.

Taylor couldn't help but smile.

"Well there is someone. And he's absolutely wonderful."

Most guys would probably take that the wrong way. Most likely as a hint to get lost or that there was someone else. However in most cases, that guy would be who the girl was talking about. But Chad didn't see it that way. Somehow he seemed to know exactly who she was talking about. Rather than taking a step back and looking disappointed, he only moved closer to her and gently ran his hand down the side of her body until his hand slipped into her free one.

"He sounds like a very lucky guy."

Taylor watched his every movement. She could feel herself being at complete ease around him. The way his hand felt against her...how soft and calm he sounded...the charming boyish cute smile.... It felt absolutely perfect. Like a dream come true.

"Maybe I'm the lucky one." she said softly. "After all this time he came. I knew he would."

And as soon as their faces had inched close enough together they shared a soft yet passionate kiss. They pulled each other close as the feelings surged through their bodies. The two stood there for as long as they could just embracing each other and staying close to each other. And of course we all know how this story ends.

They all lived happily ever after.

* * *

Yes it was a short chapter. I had wanted it to be longer but that's probably also my fault for making it as short as the song. o_0 And the ending was probably a bit more subtle than I wanted it to be. But as usual we're just looking for a happy ending right? lol and you guys do know now that not only am I in the works of another chapter, but also the same song in a different version. Can't ay that Snow White was one of my favorites...to be honest I found it pretty scary as a little kid. But gotta give the animators their props. They really paved the way for future movies. Pure genius in the long run. Anyway, while I'm working on this next chapter I'm getting ready to finish the next chapter of Beauty and the Beast, and working on a couple of oneshots as well. Yeah...probably not the smartest idea. But I don't think I said I wouldn't do oneshots during all this time. xD and yes, I'm still on the dreaded writer's block for A Week at Lava Springs. So less yakking and more moving on, stay tuned for more stories/chapters on all things Chaylor. ^^


	31. BONUS 4

Hello, hola, bonjour, aloha, and all those other wonderful ways to say hello. lol I am back with another update for these songfics. It's another bonus song, so here we have Ashley Tisdale's version of "Someday my Prince Will Come". The overall idea was stuck in my head for a week-ish and I'm amazed I didn't forget it. What I do keep forgetting though, is to update A Week at Lava Springs and I especially hate that cause I can't figure out what to do for the next chapter. It involves a Round robin Tennis Tournament and I got everything I need for that pretty much from the book I got the whole idea about Lava Springs from, but i just can't figure out what else to do with it. Totally stuck, you know? so how about let's get through this chapter then? Especially for all you Disney Princess lovers, cause Snow White was the one that started it all. And I know I'm talking more than I need to, but I haven't said thank you in a while to all you guys that reviewed. So thank you to: Iheartchad andtaylor, MermaidRam85, Cornique Chaylor Girl, ChaylorTwilightQueen10, Rose of Hope, Digigirl02, xo-Kween-Dilemma-ox, Always-Here-Imani, Allyxocorbin, Caligymnast2006, JadedXElement, Melako17, Rockyshadow, Chaylorxtraylorlover101, RamandusDaughter23, RissaIzDeBomb, Cornoque Chaylor girl, FcktherulesX3, Mzwendy85, and Lilmissmonique. And I'd also like to say thank you to some of you guys who have requested songs to be in here: Rose of Hope, Digigirl02, Rockyshadow, Caligymnast2006, and Cornoque Chaylor Girl. Two more things I want to share with you guys: last I checked this story is up to about 5282 reviews which I'm pretty sure is a good thing, and a couple of songs I do plan on using shortly are - "Something There" (Beauty and the Beast), "Once Upon a Dream" (Sleeping Beauty, the original song), and possibly "I won't Say I'm in Love" (Hercules, reversion by the Cheetah Girls), "Love" (Robin Hood), and "I'm Wishing" (Snow White).  
Disclaimer: I don't own the song, characters, or Ashley Tisdale.

* * *

You know, there's not always such as a thing as evil stepmothers. In real life, stepparents can actually be just as good as regular parents. Sure they could never replace the real thing, but technically speaking they're no different. Supposedly the evil ones only exist in fairy tales. But if you tried telling Taylor McKessie that, she wouldn't believe you. She's one of the few - or many, depending on how you look at it - who actually do have an evil stepmother living under her roof. She used to be just like any other girl, with two regular parents. Then her mom had to die and her dad got interested in this one woman. But if you asked Taylor, the lady made her life a living heck hole. She hated that woman with a passion. But could she do anything about it? No. Because her father never believed her when she tried telling him the woman was evil. She often like to escape her that place she called home and just go to a spot of her own, to think or do whatever she wanted, really.

The one bright side to having an evil stepmother was that it meant there had to be such a thing as princes. Those were the kind of people who saved girls from their evil families and took them to a happier place where they could live happily ever after. Taylor almost believed something like that. On the one hand, every time she tried looking for the prince of her dreams she never found him. So that could mean either she was trying too hard, she'd find him when she wasn't looking, or there really was no such thing as princes. On the other hand, they just plain didn't exist and she was living a fairy tale in her own mind that would never come true. The whole thing was debatable, really.

A place that Taylor often liked to go to scout for these princes was the park. She was never sure why, she just always thought that out of everywhere in Albuquerque it would be her best chance of finding one. Because let's face it, who would be at the beach in the middle of the fall when it looked like it was going to rain any minute? So now there she was, strolling trough the park and just casually looking around. It was what she normally did. And then after some walking, possibly a small snack if she so desired, Taylor would go to her usual spot and just watch the people pass by. She knew her dad and stepmother would never think to look for her here. Not that she thought they cared, anyway. But who'd think to find a teenage girl in the park on the swings?

Placing her small schoolbag next to the swing set, Taylor sat herself on her usual swing. She didn't do anything at first; she just held onto the chains holding the swing with her hand and watching the people walk on by like she did every day. And of course about half of those people had to be couples, walking hand in hand and making mushy faces at each other. Some people might be grossed out by it. Sometimes Taylor was because she's seen it all too much. Other times, like today, she was just plan envious. That's what she wanted to do one day. Guess you could say she wasn't exactly a hopeless romantic, but she did believe in it. She loved seeing guys do these big grand gestures to impress their girls. Part of Taylor had always wanted that, even if it was something as corny as asking her to a big school dance in the cafeteria during lunch time in front of everyone. But even that seemed impossible.

She moved her legs just a little so she was barely swinging. She just needed this time to clear her head and do her usual daydreaming. Taylor just sat there in silence as the people walking by became more minimal. She wasn't sure if it was because of the weather or because it had been getting late without her realizing it. She picked up her head and looked at the sky. It was cloudy and it looked like it was going to rain soon, but Taylor didn't move. She just stared up at the gathering clouds. All she could think about - no...dream about - was the guy of her dreams coming to her rescue. She didn't know what inclined her to speak, or even thought that anyone would be listening, but she could just feel her mouth open and hear words come out. After all, that was normally how speaking worked.

"Someday I will find my prince.

He may be far away,

But I know he will come.

Someday."

The next thing Taylor knew, she was pumping and pushing more and she was starting to swing higher surely but steadily. And as she did that, more words escaped her. But they came out in a beautiful melody, almost like she was singing. No...she really was singing.

_"Prince of my dreams_

_Far away_

_To call my own_

_Someday_

_Prince of my dreams_

_Far away_

_To call my own_

_Someday"_

She began swinging higher and just tuned out the rest of the world as she sang. Because as we all know, Taylor was in the park alone. Or was she?

_"Someday my prince will come_

_Someday I'll find a love_

_And how thrilling that moment will be_

_When the prince of my dreams comes to me"_

She jumped off the swing and landed perfectly on her feet. She spun herself around and walked, almost practically floated, towards the edge of the swing set. She faced the pole holding it up and placed her hands on the side of it, then quickly turned so her back was leaning against it and gently placed her fingers to her lips.

_"He'll whisper I love you_

_And steal a kiss or two"_

She then moved her hand so it was stretching out, almost as though she were reaching for something, then brought her hand back to her and rested it against her chest.

_"Though he may be far away_

_I will find my love someday"_

A light drizzle started coming down, though it quickly turned into a regular rain. Taylor paid no attention to it as she placed one hand on the swing set pole and started walking around it, almost starting to spin herself around it. Once she did about two or three full laps around it, Taylor then leaned up against it at her side and placed her hand towards her heart. She could feel it beating faster already as she sang.

_"Someday we'll say and do_

_The things we've been longing to_

_And i'll know him the moment we meet_

_For my heart will start skipping a beat_

_Someday when my dreams come true__"_

Remember how no one could have possibly been in the park when the weather looked like it was going to be so nasty? Well someone else was. It was a young male, just the same age as Taylor. And he just so happened to be riding his bike through the park trying to get out of the rain. Imagine his surprise when he heard a beautiful voice echoing through what he thought was the deserted area.

_"Somewhere waiting for me_

_There's someone I'm longing to see"_

He hit the brakes at an instant, though almost skidded off the sidewalk. He was completely off guard by it. Though the rain was moving his curly bangs more into his face, that didn't stop him from looking around. He kept trying to figure out where that voice was coming from but he just couldn't see anyone. Hearing the voice again, he started riding again on a quest to find the girl it belonged to.

_"Someone I can't help but adore_

_Who will thrill me forever more?"_

Taylor continued her own private show around the swing set, unaware that she wasn't alone around there. She got back on her swing as a small boom of thunder echoed through the sky and she just started swinging again.

_"Someday we'll say and do_

_The things we've been longing to"_

Her voice grew louder and more powerful as she started swinging higher with so much energy, almost like she was involuntarily trying to find someone.

_"And I'll know him the moment we meet_

_For my heart will start skipping a beat_

_Someday when my dreams come true"_

Her voice lowered at the last note, and with good reason to. Taylor squinted, almost thinking that she actually saw someone approaching. She stopped moving her legs and just let the swing move on its own so it could eventually stop. Taylor almost thought for sure that she was dreaming. But there was no way she could have been; even she never fell asleep in the park. But surely enough, almost right in front of her was an extremely cute - no, make that extremely hot - guy getting off his bike and stepping closer to her. She waited until her feet could feel the ground, knowing that she was almost at a full stop. Normally, this would have been the part where Taylor knew she should stop singing but she just couldn't completely. Even though she spoke, there still seemed to be a faint musical tune escaping.

"Someday my prince will come."

But oddly enough, the guy replied in the same way. He just looked right at her and spoke, or sort of sang, in the same tone.

"Someday my princess will come."

Her eyes widened, most definitely not expecting that. Now she just had to be dreaming. Without a doubt.

"And I will find my love."

He nodded as a smile came across his face. He didn't just mimicked her tone, but as soon as Taylor stepped off the swing he walked closer to her until he was just a mere few feet away from her.

"And I will find my love."

Taylor's heart suddenly skipped a beat and she couldn't help but gulp. She couldn't believe it, but dream or no dream this was really happening. And whether she knew it or not, the one faint threat of thunder had suddenly disappeared and it was just a regular rain coming down on them again.

"And I'll know him the moment we meet."

He didn't once take his eyes off of her. Through his wet locks he just stared right into her eyes.

"The moment we meet."

This guy spoke with the same softness and passion in his voice. And Taylor knew in an instant that this had to be the guy. As he held out his hand to her, Taylor slowly lifted her hand and placed it in his. Their fingers intertwined and then they did the same thing with their free hands. They lifted them up so they were facing each other and they just stood there, their hands mirroring the other's.

_"Prince of my dreams_

_Far away_

_To call my own_

_Someday_

_Prince of my dreams_

_Far away_

_To call my own_

_Someday"_

When they lifted their hands up over their heads, their fingers intertwined again and he gently spun her under his arms and moved her closer to him so her back was up against his chest. Taylor lifted her head, feeling his neck against her hair, and was barely able to meet his gaze. He then spun her back around under his arm and they were facing each other again.

_"Prince of my dreams_

_Far away_

_To call my own_

_Someday"_

The rain then became a drizzle once again and the sky looked like it was trying to clear. The boy slipped one of his arms loosely but gently around her waist and he held one of her hands while Taylor's free hand then went onto his shoulder. She followed all of his steps as they began dancing together, their eyes locked and their voices completely in sync. As she sang, his voice backed her up in an instant.

_"Prince of my dreams (Prince of her dreams)_

_Far away (Far away)_

_To call my own (To call your own)_

_Someday (Someday)"_

Their dancing began to pick up as their voices became louder but sang to the same melody and sounded perfectly in tune with each other. They seemed to be knowing exactly what the other was thinking. Taylor sang again and the boy's voice overlapped and echoed with hers.

_"Prince of my dreams (Prince of her dreams_

_Far away (Far away)_

_To call my own (To call your own)_

_Someday"_

Taylor let her voice sing higher and with more passion than she ever had, suddenly feeling light on her feet and on top of the world. The last bit of rain was falling and the clouds were slowly disappearing.

_"My dreams will come true"_

The guy smiled, absolutely loving her voice. And as soon as she started singing again he let his voice do the exact same thing it has been doing.

_"Prince of my dreams (Prince of her dreams)_

_Far away (Far away)_

_To call my own (To call your own)"_

Their faces were now inches apart as their dancing became slower and almost completely ceased. Their eyes lost in each others, they opened their mouths and let their voices blend together perfectly on the very last line.

_"Someday"_

Once their faces were close enough, they broke that last inch between them and shared a soft, gentle kiss. Although it only lasted a minute, Taylor felt as though it had lasted much longer than that. They slowly pulled away from each other and just stood there in each others' arms as the sun now shined down on them. Though still lost in each others' eyes, the boy was the first one to speak.

"You have a lovely voice."

Taylor could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. No one had ever complimented her singing before. Then again, no one else has heard her sing before.

"Thank you." Feeling the need that they should know the identities of the people who just kissed, Taylor then added, "I'm Taylor."

"Chad." he answered with a smile on his face.

A smile crept onto Taylor's as well. This was going to sound very stupid of her to ask, but she figured she'd go for it anyway. Just as long as she didn't scare him off or make a fool of herself. Her cheeks turned red again as she asked,

"Do you...mind if I call you my prince?"

"Well, my middle name is Princeton so it kinda works." he chuckled.

Taylor would have sighed with relief if she didn't already feel relieved in her head. But she could still feel her face heating up.

"Can I take you home?" Chad inquired.

"Your home?" Taylor asked hopefully. Prince or no prince, she really did not want to go back to hers.

"Of course. It's just down the street from here." he answered with a smile.

"I'd be honored." Taylor replied smiling.

So the couple left the park hand in hand, knowing that after all this time they finally found who they were looking for. The usually happy ending. But now they were both lost in their own little world that they forgot one minor detail. Their bike and bag were still at the park.

* * *

Not exactly another long chapter, but the last short chapter seemed to work out pretty well. Hopefully it worked just as well here. I had to add their little dialogue at the end because even though we all obviously know Chad was the guy, Taylor still needed to know who it was. lol I was writing this after starting my art homework and while eating ice cream, which was probably a bad idea because now it's just past 12:30 am and my neck hurts so I'm gonna go rest it off. XD Feel free to tell me what you think of this, as always. And if you guys have any other suggestions for songs feel free to share them. ^_^


	32. There's What With Who?

Ok i should probably apologize big time for making you guys wait so long. I know that also for those of you waiting on my B&B story, i started writing the next chapter but I just couldn't get into the way it was starting so i ended up deleting it. And i did promise you guys a picture at the end of that chapter which I am working on with only 2 more characters to go. But balancing that with homework and coming up with ideas and everything like that, the picture might have to wait. So again, sorry for making you guys wait. I do hope this chapter will fill the void, however. It was a request from way back and I hadn't gotten the chance to write it because I was writing B&B and doing a song here from the movie might be a bit overdoing it. So that's why I am doing it now, especially after getting a brainstorm for it. Enjoy guys!  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

"Dude just ask her out already."

Chad glanced across the room before turning to his friend.

"Did you forget all the times I made fun of her when we were younger? Dude she hates my guts." he replied.

He shook his head, "You don't know that. C'mon, you guys are getting along a lot better now."

"Newsflash Troy, that's cause you and Gabriella are always staring at each other making those googly eyes." Chad replied.

"Googly eyes?" he repeated, quirking an eyebrow.

"You got a better word for the looks you guys give each other?" Chad asked.

"No..." Troy shook his head.

Chad sighed. "Look man, Taylor and I have been mortal enemies since elementary school. Why would she like me now?"

"You got nothing to lose by finding out. Take a chance and ask her out." Troy urged.

Chad took another look at Taylor before quickly looking back at his friend.

"I don't know..."

"Chicken." Troy teased.

"What?" Chad gasped. "Dude I am not!"

Troy just laughed and started clucking like a chicken.

Chad glared at his so-called friend. "I'll prove to you I'm no chicken. I'll go ask her out right now!" Chad stood up off the chair and made his way towards Taylor. He stopped midway in his tracks and literally hit his head. He had walked right into that one!

See, Chad is a jock and Taylor is a nerd. Now they should hate each other, and that's exactly how it used to be. Every chance they got, they'd start an argument with each other for no reason at all. But then Troy had to get a crush on that new girl Gabriella, who happened to make fast friends with Taylor. The more that Troy and Gabriella saw each other, the more that Chad and Taylor had to deal with each other. It wasn't pretty at first, but the arguments slowly came to a stop and now they got along really well. There was just one issue with that. Chad wanted more than to just get along with Taylor. He was starting to see her as a good friend. A good friend that he happened to like. A lot. But he didn't know how Taylor felt. Chad had never told her because he'd feel totally stupid. What if she didn't like him back? What if she wouldn't even want to be friends with him anymore?

So now Chad was trapped in a corner. A corner that he couldn't seem to get out of. There was only one thing to do now. Supposedly he has nothing to lose. He might as well just get it over with. Taking a deep breath, he completed his way over to Taylor.

"Hey Taylor."

**There's something sweet**

**And almost kind**

**But he was mean and he was coarse a****nd unrefined**

Taylor turned to see that Chad had come her way.

"Hey Chad." she said with a smile. "What's up?"

Chad just stared at her for a moment. He was really hoping he wouldn't make a fool of himself.

"Not much. Just...same old, same old."

Taylor nodded. "Same here."

Chad tried to work up the nerve to ask her what was really on his mind.

"Actually um...Taylor...there's sorta...something I wanna ask you." he admitted.

Taylor raised an eyebrow, only wondering what was on his mind.

"Sure Chad. What is it?"

"Um...I uh...see the thing is..." he stammered. Chad couldn't remember the last time he felt so nervous. "I...I..." He just stared at her and watched her looking at him expectantly. Knowing that she was never one for patience, Chad just blurt it right out, "I wanna know if you'd go out with me."

**And now he's dear**

**And so unsure**

**I wonder why I didn't see it there before**

Taylor blinked. She almost seemed speechless. Almost. But not for long.

"Chad...I don't know what to say." Was all she managed to get out.

He should have known it wouldn't work out this well. "We've just been hanging out so much and I've been having a lot of fun with you..."

"So it's not just because of Troy and Gabriella? Like you feel obligated to ask me out because they're practically going out?" she asked.

"No, of course not." Chad shook his head. "I really, really like you Taylor."

**She glanced this way**

**I thought I saw**

**And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw**

"That's...that's really sweet of you to say, Chad." she said giving him a sincere look. "But...I sort of like someone else."

Chad could feel the hole burning in his heart. He didn't know that rejection could hurt so bad. He didn't even know how to react. If this felt bad now, then the pain was probably really going to hit him later.

"Oh...." Now he was the one who wa speechless. Even though he knew it would make him hurt more, not he really had nothing left to lose. "Who is it?"

Taylor bit her tongue and hesitated, almost as though she wasn't sure she should tell Chad or if he should even know.

"Troy."

Ok now that really hurt. The girl he liked had no interest in him, but his best friend. Even though he was trying not to look disappointed, his voice reflected it perfectly.

"Oh...."

Taylor sighed and shook her head. "Except he likes Gabriella."

"You don't know that." Chad said. Even though they both knew it was true, Chad didn't want to see Taylor's hopes crushed. Besides if he couldn't have the girl then his best friend should. "He could like you."

"Why? Has he said anything?" Taylor inquired.

"Well...no." Chad admitted. "But I could find out."

"You'd do that for me?" Taylor asked. It made sense for her to be surprised. After all, she's the one who just crushed the guy's heart and now he's offering to help her.

"Sure." Chad nodded.

Taylor smiled widely and hugged him. "You have no idea how much that means to me. Thank you so much!"

Chad hugged her back, but as much as he wanted to smile he just couldn't. What was he going to do now?

**No it can't be**

**I'll just ignore**

**But then she's never looked at me that way before**

"So how'd it go?" Troy asked when he saw Chad return.

Chad rubbed the back of his head. "Um...not so well."

Troy raised an eyebrow, "Dude what happened?"

Chad sighed. He might as well just let it out now. "She likes another guy."

Troy scrunched his nose. "Ouch. That's harsh man."

"Tell me about it," he sighed again.

"Did she tell you who it was?" Troy wondered.

"Yeah." Chad nodded.

"So what are you gonna do to him?" he asked.

"Not much I can do, considering the guy's my best friend." Chad answered, eying Troy.

Troy's jaw literally dropped. He wanted to find some way to see that Chad was lying, but with the look his friend was giving him it just wasn't possible.

"Me? She likes _me_?"

"Who else is my best friend?" Chad asked icily. He couldn't help but be jealous of Troy. Troy was the captain of the basketball team and if not the, one of the most popular guys in school. He always got all the girls. Chad envied Troy, he really did. But the one time he thought he could get the one girl he wanted, that hope went right down the drain.

"Dude I don't like Taylor. You know that." Troy said. "I wouldn't try and go after your girl."

Chad sighed, sort of regretting his cold tone right now. "I told her I would ask you."

"Well tell her I'm not interested." Troy shrugged his shoulders.

"Just go on one date with her, Troy." Chad replied.

"What?" he gasped. The one girl Chad wanted and he was telling Troy to go for it? When he liked someone else?

"Just give her one date man." he repeated. "It'll make Taylor happy."

Troy rubbed the back of his head. He really didn't want to do this to his friend. But what choice did he have? What choice was he even being given?

"Alright.... One date." he gave in. "Do you want me to see if I can set her up with you somehow?"

Chad shook his head. "Nah man. Just go for it."

Not in the mood to say anything else after that, Chad just got up and walked away.

**New and a bit alarming**

**Who'd have ever thought that this could be?**

Taylor sat across from Troy at a regular everyday restaurant that they had agreed to go to earlier for dinner. Taylor hadn't even expected that from Troy. after hearing Chad's tone, despite getting her hopes up, Taylor was sure that Troy wasn't interested. But he had actually agreed to go out with her and asked her to dinner. Of course they were in agreement as well not to mention any of this to Gabriella. But something was a bit off about this date. It was just...awkward somehow. Troy barely made any conversations. Taylor was at a loss for words after a while. Even when she asked him about basketball practice Troy gave the simplest of answers. Of course then he would ask her about Chemistry Club and Decathlon, but then Taylor felt obligated to give similar answers that Troy did. As much as she wanted to have a good time with him, Troy just didn't seem interested.

Taylor sighed and put her fork down after a while, finally allowing herself to say what was on her mind.

"You didn't really want to go on this date, did you Troy?"

Troy glanced up at her. "What gave you that idea?"

Taylor couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You're barely saying anything. And I can tell you're not having any fun."

Troy sat up straight and took a sip of his soda. "Why do you like me anyway?"

Taylor blinked, having no idea where that question came from. She actually felt her face heating up just thinking about it.

"Come on Troy. You're one o the most collest guys in school. Athletic, charming, funny..."

Troy shrugged, "Chad's funny and charming too."

"Sure he's charming," Taylor admitted, "but he can't pull any tricks like you can."

"What are you talking about?" he asked confused.

"That time in sixth grade. We found out we were getting our fifth grade teacher from elementary school that we all hated. You played that trick on him. Remember?" Taylor replied with a surprised look.

She could remember that day clearly. It was their first day of sixth grade, about third period when they all had study hall. Back then they had to stay in one classroom and do homework or talk amongst themselves. But then they found out they were getting their old teacher Mr. Bickle from fifth grade the year before. That teacher was not nice with capital double N's. He had always given them a lot of homework and was a strict grader. Some of the first words that had come out of his mouth when he introduced himself to the class was, "This may be just a free period for you, but I'm still a teacher. So I'm still giving you grades in here. Do homework and be quiet, you'll get a good grade. Be loud and obnoxious, it's a straight F and a one-way ticket to the Principal's office." Ironically, half way through the period, Mr. Bickle had fallen asleep. Taylor had been reading at the time trying to be on her best behavior as usual, but then she heard a loud farting noise and when she looked up somehow a big pie landed on the teacher's face. The whole class was laughing and it had even gotten her laughing. When Mr. Bickle demanded who did that, Troy was the one who had stood up and got that ticket to the Principal's office. The rest of his peers hadn't seen him for two periods after that. They had assumed that Bickle had gone with him and tried to get him suspended or something. But somehow Troy had gotten off the hook and Bickle got fired.

But Troy had a different story than that. "I wasn't the one who played the trick."

"What are you talking about?" Taylor raised an eyebrow.

"One of my friends made the prank. I just snuck the pie into the classroom." he admitted. "I didn't do anything other than that. Well, except laugh."

Taylor shook her head, not beliving it. "But you're a comic genius."

"Chad's the comic genius." Troy corrected. "He wanted to make the boring class funnier so he came up with that creative idea. I only took the fall for him so he wouldn't get into trouble."

Taylor stared at him wide-eyed. She just couldn't believe it. That was the main reason she had fallen for Troy in the first place. Taylor had always been the serious kind of girl. No one could make her laugh easily. That prank in sixth grade was the first thing that got her laughing so hard. After finding out that Troy did it, she thought that he knew exactly how to make her laugh. She had always looked for a sweet, charming, funny guy. Troy was sweet and charming...but not funny?

"So...you're not a funny guy then."

Troy shook his head. "I've got a sense of humor. I'm just not that funny. I can't even crack a good pun when it's a perfect time for one."

Taylor slowly let it all sink in. "So...it was Chad who really got me to laugh then. He's the guy."

Troy nodded. "He's also the guy who really likes you."

She didn't even need to complete the sentence. It had already been done in her head. _And I completely destroyed him._

"What am I doing here?" she sighed shaking her head.

"figuring something out?" Troy guessed.

Taylor was silent for a minute before nodding slowly. "I think I have figured something out." She stood up at an instant, "I've gotta go see Chad."

Troy watched in disbelief as Taylor left in a hurry. He didn't mind paying for the dinner or anything, but she could have chipped in. Did he even have enough for the meal?

"You owe me five bucks for the tip!" he called after her.

**True that he's no Prince Charming**

**But there's something in him that I simply didn't see**

Taylor stopped in front of Chad's house. She didn't even both to step up onto his porch and knock on the door. She just didn't have the nerve to right now. Maybe it was a courage issue. How was she supposed to go up, knock on the door, and tell him that she had just gone out with the wrong guy and she was sorry for turning Chad down and hurting him?

Well that's the thing; she didn't know if she could. Chad was still probably going to hate her after this. But why did he even set her up with Troy when Troy obviously hadn't been interested and Chad liked her? Was it just some joke to him or was he really trying to do the right thing?

Taking a deep breath, Taylor slowly walked onto the property and up the steps. She stopped at the front door, taking a few minutes to just stare at it. Here goes nothing.... She gently knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Surely enough, Chad was the one who appeared in the doorway. But he didn't seem happy to see her. Taylor couldn't blame him. He probably thought she was only there to thank him for the date with Troy. Or to tell him that it went horribly and she's come crawling back to him. Well that's not entirely true.

"So how'd the date go?" Chad asked holding in a sigh.

But instead of giving a straight answer, Taylor responded with a question.

"Why did you set me up with Troy?"

Chad raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Taylor shook her head. "You knew that Troy didn't like me. So why did you tell him to go out with me for some pity date?"

"It wasn't supposed to be like that." he replied.

Taylor sighed. She was coming off too harsh, she knew it. But she wanted to know this. And part of her felt like she needed to know this.

"Chad, just please tell me." she said softly.

Chad hesitated for a minute. He tapped his fingers on the doorway, then put his head down. the answer may have seemed obvious to him, but it wasn't to Taylor.

"You liked Troy and I thought you'd be happy to go on the date with him."

"That's it...?" Taylor asked. She would have thought that there was more to it than that.

"Yeah." Chad nodded looking at her. "I just wanted to make you happy."

So it was never to make a fool out of her or get back at her. Taylor should have suspected as much. But he had the perfect opportunity to get payback after she crushed him and he chose to just help her? By setting her up with his best friend? Chad really was so charming.

"That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me."

Chad raised an eyebrow, confused. "Huh?"

"You tried to set me up with who I liked even though it was Troy. That means more than getting the guy." she explained.

Yet he was still lost. "It does?"

Taylor nodded. "What's even more stupid..." she lowered her head and her voice, then slowly picked it up towards Chad, "...is that I went out with the wrong guy."

**Well who'd have thought?**

**Well bless my soul**

**Well who'd have known?**

Chad just stared at her blankly. It was almost as if he didn't understand at all.

"What?"

Taylor rubbed one of her arms. "I had the wrong idea about Troy all along. I only liked him because everyone else did and I thought he was funny. But he's not. You are."

Chad shook his head, "Nah. I'm about as funny as a moose juggling bananas."

Taylor giggled.

He raised an eyebrow and almost smiled. "You think that was funny?"

"I do." Taylor nodded. "The way you said it and the image it put in my head."

Now that really made Chad smile. All that time he had wanted to figure out a way to impress Taylor and he had it all along.

"I guess I am pretty funny." Chad chuckled.

"You are." she smiled.

Chad smiled as well. "So...is that all you came to tell me?"

"Actually I came for two other things." she admitted.

"What's those?" he asked.

Taylor held in a deep breath. They were getting this far. This had to be a good thing. But what if he turned her down? There was still a small cloud of doubt floating over her head about that.

"Before I say, there's one thing I want to know."

"what's that?" he asked.

Taylor looked at him right in the eyes but her voice was soft, "Do you hate me?"

"Of course not." Chad shook his head.

"But you have the right to. "she stated.

"Taylor I could never hate you. No matter how much I wanted to." Chad said. He was giving her a look that meant he was telling the truth.

Taylor wanted to sigh with relief, but she wasn't out of the woods yet. "So then..." she cleared her throat before speaking again, "Chad...will you go out with me?"

**Well who indeed?**

**And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?**

**It's so peculiar**

There was another blank look on his face. He was just staring at her. But why? Was it from disbelief? Was he trying to tell her something? Maybe she really didn't want to know. But before she could shake her head and walk away, Chad spoke.

"Me?"

Her voice was still soft but all she could do was look at him and nod, "Yeah, you."

A smile started growing on Chad's face, like it was finally starting to sink in what she had just asked him.

"Yeah." he breathed.

She blinked. It must have been the aftershock of his response or something.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Chad nodded. "I'd love to go out with you."

Taylor smiled and let a faint breath of relief escape. It felt so good to get that off her chest and to make things right.

"I'd love that, too."

Chad smiled and leaned his head against the doorway. "So what was the other thing?"

"What other thing?" she asked, practically lost in her own daydream now.

"You said you came over for something else, too." Chad said.

Taylor nodded, slowly bringing herself back into reality. Scratch that before, she still wasn't out of the woods.

"I did."

"So what is it?" he wondered.

Taylor stayed silent as she locked eyes with Chad. She then stepped a few steps closer to him until they were that close to each other. For a minute it was just them staring at each other, like there was nothing else in the world. Then, Taylor brushed her lips against his and a soft, gentle kiss.

**Wait and see a few days more**

**There may be something there that wasn't there before**

The kiss was brief and Taylor pulled away before Chad could even respond. She took one look at his face. He was completely caught off guard by it. His mouth looked like it was going to drop all the way down to the ground, his eyes were wide and barely blinking, and he was just staring at her the same way he had before she kissed him. Taylor took his reaction as a bad thing, automatically thinking she had done something wrong. This was even stupider than going out with Troy. Now Chad was going to get the wrong idea about her. Like...oh who knows, maybe that she just wanted a kiss from someone or that she was desperate or something.

"I'm sorry." she shook her head. "I shouldn't have..." Taylor back away, "I should go."

She ran down the stairs of the porch but before she could get any farther than that she heard Chad right behind her and gently grabbing her arm. In the same second, he pulled her close to her and they shared another kiss.

**There may be something there that wasn't there before**

It was much longer than the first one and even more meaningful. chad had put so much passion and softness into the kiss. Taylor didn't even need a second thought. She kissed him back and wrapped her arms around her neck. As soon as Chad felt her grip slip out of his hand, he wrapped one arm around her waist and his now free hand around her back.

Taylor didn't have enough breath to stay in the kiss for more than a minute, but just as she was about to pull away and take a breath, Chad deepened the kiss and in an instant she felt re-energized. They remained just like that not even caring if anyone passing by told them to break it up or if it would start pouring down rain. When they both did run out of breath, they pulled away as slowly as possible but just kept their arms around each other and stayed as close as possible. Their eyes locked as they breathed heavily, trying to catch their breathe. They both knew they were thinking the same thing. It was obvious from the smiles on their faces. But did you really think they were going to leave their meeting at that before going separate ways for the night?

As soon as Chad caught his breath the first thing that came out of his mouth was,

"Do you wanna come in?"

**There may be something there that wasn't there before**

* * *

Another chapter done! This took me 3 days to type cause of all the homework. DX I had started out with a different idea, but then i got a completely different brainstorm. It's like Chad thinks there's something there but Taylor thinks there's something there with someone else, and then they both know there is something there with each other. XD And again, sorry it took me so long to do this. Hopefully I will be able to get a new chapter of B&B up soon as well. On the bright side, made my schedule for next semester and I will have Mondays and Fridays off! So if we're lucky, that means more time for updates and stories. ^^ I would also like to thank Caligymnast2006 for requesting this ages ago. And I know with this there was also a request from a song in The Little Mermaid Broadway show, so I'll have to remember to look into that later. Thank you everyone for enjoying these stories and can't wait to hear from all of you! C=


	33. BONUS 5

Alright total brainstorm here. I know i should be doing my homework right now...but honestly I feel like I'm falling asleep. So what better way to wake up than write a chapter, huh? Anyway, one of the songs I said I wanted to do soon was the original version of "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty. Now I've listened to the song on Youtube but didn't get any ideas for a chapter. So when I tried searching to watch the movie, cause now I barely remember anything about it thanks to a short attention span, yeah pretty much nothing except the movie in a different language I don't understand. Anyway I went to get some soda so I wouldn't fall asleep and I was playing the song in my head and then I'm like, hey that could be a good idea. So I'm doing a chapter a tad differently. This time, it's going to be an incerdibly similar scene to the one from the movie that the song comes from. so i really hope it turns out as well as I'm picturing it. Enjoy guys!  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

* * *

Taylor exited her big fancy mansion, meeting up with her best friend Gabriella at the gates. The two friends caught up briefly before they started walking down the street side by side and going about their normal girl talk.

"Can you believe we're almost ready to graduate high school?" Gabriella exclaimed. "We're finally going to be old enough to move out and get that two bedroom apartment we always wanted."

"Yeah, so I can always walk in on you when you have your boyfriend over." Taylor teased playfully.

"He is not my boyfriend." Gabriella gasped dramatically. "We're just.... Dating?"

"Nice try, Gabs. I know you're faking." Taylor said.

It was always like this with the girls. Taylor and Gabriella had been best friends since they were little. Gabriella had moved to the town of Los Angeles when she was five, and finding out that she had a next door neighbor who was the same age as her the girls became fast friends. They did everything together. They shopped together, studied together, did homework together...if only they had the same hair and their skin tones were closer in shade these ladies would surely be mistaken as sisters. But that's exactly what they were. But not the kind of sisters who constantly fought over the bathroom and who saw a cute guy first. Taylor and Gabriella were the kind that shared each others' clothes and told each other everything.

But most of that went down the drain when Taylor's father got a huge promotion. The family moved to a more expensive area in the town, separating the girls for a few years. It was like that until they started high school. Taylor was going there upon her parents' requests. It was some big fancy private school where all the rich kids went. According to them, Taylor fit in just fine. But unlike the rest of those rich snobs at the school, Taylor had never been into the latest fashions or looking for big ovie stars. She just wanted to do well in school and accomplish her dreams. Luckily, the school did take more middle-class teens in under scholarships and that's exactly what Gabriella got in on. As soon as the girls met up again, they vowed never to be separated again. Whether they would end up going to the same college afterwards or not, they would still get a two bedroom apartment that they could share and live under the same roof just like any other pair of sisters.

Between the two of them, Taylor considered Gabriella to be the more fortunate one. Gabriella was polite to everyone but that often involved keeping her feelings bottled up inside while Taylor always spoke her mind. So it seemed like such a piece of cake for Gabriella to fit into the snotty private school life. Even more so, a guy there was actually able to notice her despite the fact that she wasn't rich and liked her for who she was. All the other guys at school, they were just interested in getting with the popular kids or see who they could go out with that had a lot of money. While Taylor fit into the category of having loads of money easily, that was the only reason anyone gave her the time of day. They just couldn't see past the rich girl and see the brilliant charming girl that she could never seem to let out enough.

"Taylor you're not just going on about guys again, are you?" Gabriella sighed.

Taylor was sure not boy-crazy, that was for sure. But like a good portion of teenage girls out there, that didn't stop her from talking about them or wondering what it was like to go out with one. According to Gabriella, Taylor's tale of going from an ordinary girl to a rich girl was one out of a fairy tale, like a peasant becoming a princess. A hopeless romantic that girl always was. And to an extent, Taylor even began to think the same thing. But it hardly went to her head. If it did at all and if it really was some kind of fairy tale, she only wanted one thing out of it.

"It's just..." Taylor paused to try and get her words together before turning to her friend, "...you seem to have such an easy time with guys. They like you for you, not for what you have."

"I'm sure if you have someone a chance, they'd see the same in you." Gabriella offered.

"You're always saying my life is like a fairy tale, Gabriella." she sighed. "Fairy tales have princes. And from what I've seen, there's no princes anywhere in Los Angeles. Maybe not even in California. Heck for all we know they could all be out on the East Coast."

"Partying in New York City?" Gabriella joked.

"They just might be." she let out a giggle.

Gabriella shrugged her shoulders. "Well you're always saying how you have dreams about your prince coming to you. What does he look like?"

"Nice try. I see where this is going and I won't fall for it." Taylor shook her head. "You're trying to set me up with someone."

"What? No!" she gasped.

Taylor folded her arms and looked at her doubtfully.

Gabriella sighed, knowing nothing could get past Taylor's keen eye. "Well...maybe if we knew what he looked like that would be a start. He could be right around here somewhere and we'd never know it."

Taylor thought for a minute as she tried to get the picture of her prince in her mind. "Well...he's very tall. A bit rugged. Not short short hair, but not long hair either. The kind that's long enough to be tied back but doesn't go past his shoulders."

"What hair shade?" Gabriella inquired.

"Brown." she answered instantly. "Definitely brown or hazel eyes, too."

"To match yours?" she teased playfully.

"Very funny." Taylor interrupted.

"Ok, any piercings? Tattoos?" Gabriella asked.

"Not really." she shook her head.

"Ok well what type of hair does he have? Straight, curly, bald, moehawk...?"

Taylor shuddered. "Definitely no moehawk." She leaned up against a tree at the corner they stopped at and closed her eyes. "Maybe curly hair..." she pondered.

Gabriella smirked. That sounded just vague enough to work. "Well then let's get you that dream prince."

Taylor opened her eyes and looked at Gabriella. "What are you talking about?"

Gabriella pointed across the street, "There's a costume shop right there."

Taylor quirked an eyebrow. "You do realize it's not even close to Halloween, right?"

"Just come on." she urged, dragging her friend into the store.

---

By the time they walked out, Taylor was looking like some combination of mortified and in complete disbelief.

"This is stupid, Gabs." she sighed.

Gabriella shortly followed her out. Instead of her prep school uniform like Taylor's, she was wearing a suave looking jacket and a hat with a fancy leaf on it. Her plaid skirt had been replaced with jeans, or perhaps some kind of tights, and a fake sword attached to the belt. Under the hat and covering her own hair was a curly afro and a pair of brown boots had taken the place of her black school shoes.

"It's all in good fun. You wanted a dream prince, so for the next hour you've got one." Gabriella giggled.

"Yes, because that's how long that ridiculous costume was rented for." Taylor answered. She folded her arms and couldn't help but mutter, "At least he looked more realistic in my dream."

Gabriella pulled her friend towards the park. "Come on, just pretend it's one of your dreams. Go with it and have fun. Besides it's not like we'll be late for school. We've got free period first, remember?"

"I guess so..." Taylor said slowly, though still not entirely convinced.

"Would it help if I talked like him?" Gabriella inquired.

Taylor giggled. "Sorry Gabs, but I don't think your voice can go that deep."

"Wanna bet?" she grinned before turning down her voice, "Hey Taylor. Look at me, it's your dream prince."

Taylor couldn't help but burst out laughing. That was Gabriella for her, always doing the cheering up. The logical mind versus the creative mind, Gabriella at this point being the creative one. It was one of the ways they made such a great pair.

"What do you know, it is my dream prince!" Taylor said, trying to calm herself down with the laughing.

"Wanna dance, baby?" Gabriella asked in her deep voice.

That only made her laugh more. "You know I'm really not supposed to talk to strangers."

"Oh really?" Gabriella asked putting her arms around her best friend.

"Really. But we met before." Taylor answered.

"And when was that?" Gabriella inquired.

Taylor started dancing around the park, leading Gabriella. Though it should be the other way around, Taylor did have the more dancing experience. But obviously Gabriella was doing all the work in bringing the fantasy to life. Well, that wasn't going to be the case anymore. Taylor started singing as she danced with Gabriella.

_"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream_

_I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam_

_Yet I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem_

_But if I know you I know what you'll do_

_You'll love me at once, t__he way you did once upon a dream"_

Taylor hit every note perfectly. Gabriella was quickly able to take the lead as Taylor sang, easily catching onto the simple movements. But what neither of them knew was that from behind one of the trees in the park they were being watched by a pair of brown eyes incredibly similar to the ones that Taylor had described from her dream. But did either girl notice? No. In reality, they were just too busy having fun looking like a couple of five-year-olds playing prince and princess.

Gabriella spun Taylor around and Taylor soon did the same gesture to Gabriella.

_"But if I know you, I know what you'll do"_

Gabriella spun Taylor around once more, but Gabriella had accidentally lost her balance and tripped on one of the boots leaving Taylor to spin on her own. And with Taylor lost in her fantasy, she didn't even realize that someone else had gently grabbed her arms and was now dancing with her. Taylor's back was facing him and she still sang, under the impression that she was still only with Gabriella.

_"You'll love me at once-"_

And oddly enough, just as she came to the next line she could hear a guy's voice echoing with hers,

_"The way you did once upon a dream."_

Taylor's eyes shot open, snapping out of her daydream. Looking straight ahead of her, she could see Gabriella on the ground getting the boot back on. Gabriella's eyes were widened and her jaw was dropped seeing who Taylor was with. Clearly this was not a part of their childish game. Taylor gasped. So if she wasn't dancing with Gabriella...then who was she dancing with?

Turning around quickly, she saw the boy and gasped, jumping back slightly. He was indeed taller than her, with a similar dark skin tone to what she had. His eyes were a wonderfully brown shade and his hair was not only brown, but incredibly curly. Of course his attire looked nothing like Gabriella's; it was much more realistic. Than again, nothing like the girls' regular outfit either, so that was a clear sign that he didn't go to school with them. So then who was he? Where did he come from? Why was he looking at her like that? And why did he look so much like what Taylor had pictured in her mind.

"Oh...I'm sorry." Taylor realized as she backed away more from him. "I...I thought you were my friend..."

This was quite ironic for her, actually. The one time that Taylor amy have found her guy she didn't want to say a word. So much for her speaking her mind.

"I should apologize. I didn't mean to scare you." he replied.

When he took a step forward, Taylor backed away again. "Um...it's not that...exactly..."

"What is it?" he wonderred, longing to get closer to her.

"Well...it's just that you're a...a..." What was the right word?

"A stranger?" he finished, almost right on top of her now.

Taylor nodded. "Y-yeah. Yeah, that's it."

Gabriella quirked an eyebrow as this was happening. It was easy to tell what was going on in her mind. Why wasn't her friend going for it. C'mon girl, get a grip!

"But don't you remember? We've met before." he said.

"We have...?" Taylor asked. Has he been watching her this whole time?

"Of course. You said so yourself." he answered with a smile. "'Once upon a dream'."

As he reached out to touch her again, Taylor back away. She was trying to figure out how to handle this. She had never imagined that this would actually happen. The point of having a dream prince was supposed to be that it was a dream, an escape from reality. As nice as it was to have those dreams, Taylor didn't really know what to do in a situation like this. And while he was awfully cute, his raggedy type clothes sure didn't look princely. But despite her trying to get away, that didn't seem to stop the guy. He stayed where he was for a minute, mimicking the same tone that Taylor had sung.

_"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream"_

He stepped closer to her and Taylor slowly got behind a tree, hoping that somehow he would get the message and leave. But that didn't seem to work. He came slowly up to the tree and briefly brushed his fingers against her arm, causing her head to snap in his direction and her eyes to meet his.

_"I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar, a gleam"_

He lightly slipped his hand down her arm and into her hand and Taylor seemed to relax at his touch. His voice was so warm and inviting. And she couldn't help but melt into his eyes and see his wonderfully charming smile. Why was she thinking of trying to escape him, again?

Gabriella snuck up behind them, watching from a safe distance as the two held hands and began dancing around the park with their voices joining in the same melody.

_"And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem_

_But if I know you, I know what you'll do_

_You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream."_

When their dance was finally over, the couple walked hand in hand over to where there was a nice view of the town. They rested against a nearby tree. The boy's hand slipped around Taylor's waist and Taylor rested her hand on his shoulder.

"I guess you're not a dream prince anymore." Taylor said softly, breaking the silence between the two of them.

"Well, momma always said I was a prince." he joked, making Taylor giggle. "Can't say I look too much like one, though." he admitted.

"Well you look like one to me." Taylor said. "Should I know the name of the prince I was just dancing with?"

He smiled as he locked eyes with her. "It's Chad."

"Taylor." she smiled, introducing herself.

"Well, Taylor, I think we have some catcing up to do since our last meeting." Chad said.

"Where would you suggest we start?" she inquired.

"I've got a pretty good idea." he said with a soft grin before moving in and kissing her.

And while they had their little moment Gabriella just smiled and folded her arms, watching as her friend kissed the guy she had tried to escape from in the first place. But as many mushy things that were going on in her head right now, Gabriella was realizing something completely different that would definitely ruin everything if she spoke up.

They were so going to miss school today.

* * *

Ok maybe it's not as much like the movie as I thought it'd be. XD I just thought it'd make something of a cute chapter. Anyway, if I don't put up any updates within the next week then I'll take this time to say Happy Halloween to everyone. C= I will be back soon with more updates. And as usual, if any of you guys have suggestions for songs feel free to share them. I'm not going by any other ideas I had or any rules I was thinking of before. Right now, I'm just thinking of getting somewhere between 50 and 100 chapters total up. lol


	34. BONUS 6

Ok there were literally no reviews for the last chapter. Not sure if that's because everyone has been busy or because it just stank. Stunk...whatever the right past tense of stink is. Yeah i always forget somehow. Anyway now we're on to the next chapter. I keep going back and forth between trying to figure out what to write. I know what I want to write, it's just i've got more than one idea and i don't know where to start and thanks to my tons of homework I can't write more than one in...well a long time it seems like. Anyway during the break i forced in with my recent giant pile of homework, this is what i came up with....  
Disclaimer: I don't own HSM, the characters, the song, or the Cheetah Girls.

* * *

_No chance, no way_

_I won't say it, no no_

It was the night at East High that everyone had been waiting for. The gym was buzzing with excitement throughout the night and began to slowly die down with each song he DJ played, turning into the ultimate relaxing evening. Couples danced together, friends chatted, teachers chaperoned and made sure no one was getting serious - yes, even teachers at East High kept a strict policy about things such as French kissing. The gym was beautifully decorated with stramers, banners, and balloons and the small circular tables all around had lacy table clothes along with lavish centerpieces and of course the dishes that students would eat for five minutes before returning to the dance floor. In the center of the gym was a full-grown tree with small lights adorned throughout it and together numerous couples waltzed around it.

Martha was leading Jason, as the poor guy was completely clueless when it came to dancing. He had been so busy struggling for finals and worrying about graduating that he had barely had a chance to attend any dance classes. Not that he minded Martha leading, of course. But as usual all the other guys seemed to know what they were doing and Jason was the odd one out. Oh well, their loss. Those other guys weren't dancing with a mad hip-hopping machine.

Ryan was beautifully leading Kelsi around, both quite skilled in the art of the waltz. After all, playing numerous music on the piano Kelsi had taken some time as a little girl to learn the proper moves to the given music. Ryan on the other hand had been dancing since he could walk and easily didn't go missing a step.

Sharpay was being quite tolerant of Zeke, as she was a far better dancer than he was - in her opinion, of course. Sharpay did take the lead a few times and when Zeke thought he had gotten it, he did something to mess up. Stepping on her shoes, almost spinning her into the punch bowl....it was amazing Sharpay kept her temper under control. But when Zeke finally did get the moves right, the Blondie was practically swept off of her feet. Who knew Zeke could catch on when he wasn't playing basketball or baking?

Chad was quite hesitant when it came to waltzing. Sure he had taken plenty of lessons and he was trying to impress his girlfriend Taylor, but this kind of slow dance just wasn't his thing. Luckily for him, Taylor had done her research. Sure she wasn't a dancer, but she was a bookworm. She learned just as much by reading about the waltz as she did dancing it. She instructed Chad to look at her as opposed to their feet and even went through telling him which steps to take and what to do. Chad had caught on much quicker than Zeke and wasn't so quick to mess up at a time like this. Chad waited until he made sure he got every step right, and then looked as confident as he did on the basketball court.

The only couple missing from this group of Wildcats was Troy and Gabriella. Gabriella had gone off to early orientation for Stanford in California and Troy, despite his talk with Chad, ended up driving all night there just to be with her. Yes, it was going to make them mad late for the spring musical that was to be held the next day, but it was worth it. Chad was the only person who knew of Troy's plan before the prom; a few hours before he went to pick up Taylor, Mrs. Bolton called him frantically asking if Chad knew where Troy was. Although Chad had no idea at first, he quickly realized what Troy was doing and upon trying to contact Troy via cell phone and only getting voice mail, Chad knew his hunch was right. That calmed Mrs. Bolton down in a flash...at least Troy hadn't done something totally reckless. Now Chad had been a bit frustrated at first. Come on, giving up prom with friends just to chase after some girl he might not even be with after graduation? Chad had briefly complained to his mother before leaving the house, and being the level-headed one between the Danforth parents, she cleverly asked Chad if he would do the same for Taylor. As much as Chad wanted to deny that he would, he just couldn't. It was hard enough knowing now that she was going to the East Coast and he would be staying home. And this was the guy who claimed to Troy "you don't take the girl after high school". Go figure.

_If there's a prize for rotten judgement,_

_I guess I've already won that_

Once the song was over and more food was to be served, everyone made their way back to their tables. Yet Chad and Taylor were still dancing on the floor. Taylor attempted to get him to stop, but Chad seemed to be lost in his own world. Letting go of one of his hands and finally able to stop, Taylor snapped her now free fingers in front of Chad's face. Chad shook his head and immediately snapped back into reality.

"Huh? what?" he asked.

Taylor quirked an eyebrow. "The song's over Chad. Everyone's going back to the tables."

"Oh....I knew that." he lied.

Taylor merely shook her head. She knew him better than that. She started by folding her arms and giving him a doubtful look. No way he could lie to her and get away with it.

And as usual, her stare made Chad so uneasy. "What?"

Her look softened, knowing that something had to have been bothering him. "Chad is something wrong?"

"Of course not." he shook his head.

"You've just been dazing off a lot tonight. On the ride over I asked if we still had our after prom plans for tonight and you said the ham's in your pants." she explained.

"Did I?" Chad replied.

Taylor sighed. "We're at the prom, Chad. Tonight is supposed to be about us and our friends and right now it looks like you could care less about either."

"Tay you know that's not true." he said.

And then came the return of the doubtful look.

Chad groaned. Either way she was going to know that something was up. Taking her hand, Chad led her over to the side. "Troy ditched prom so he could go be with Gabriella." he finally confessed.

Taylor blinked before her eyes widened. "What?" she gasped.

"I was with Troy earlier and trying to convince him to come to the prom with us and I thought I got through to him, and then his mom called all worried and when I called Troy he wouldn't answer so I knew he was going to Stanford." Chad explained.

Taylor was just plain stunned. Sure she knew Troy could be a real sweet guy, but she never knew he could go to this kind of extreme for one girl. It was just too bad sometimes that Chad was never like that.

"Oh my gosh...that's so romantic." she realized.

"Yeah, real happy ever after." Chad muttered.

Taylor tilted her head at him. Of course, how could she not see it? "And you really wish he was here with us."

"Maybe." Chad answered in a baby voice not really wanting to admit it.

"Chad..." she started.

He sighed, "I guess I just wanted to believe that Troy wouldn't think Gabriella's more important than here and his friends. I've been his best friend since preschool and then she comes along and he knows her for a year and suddenly he wants to give up everything just for her. It just...it just makes me so mad that he would pull the ditching game for her."

_No man is worth the aggravation_

"But..." Taylor assumed that there indeed was a 'but' somewhere in there.

And she was right. "But...but...I guess I can understand why Troy would go." Chad admitted. "He's crazy about that girl. He's in California having the time of his life with her and here we are doing what everyone else is doing. And if it were you over there instead of Gabs, I'd probably just keep calling begging for you to come back. I couldn't pull a big stunt like Troy did just to get you back."

"But you know you can't do that next year. I'll be on the other side of the country, not a few states over." Taylor said softly, putting her hands on her arms. She and Chad had often tried to avoid the topic of college. They both had the same idea, that their relationship wasn't going to last. Chad would most likely want to enjoy the full college ride of flirting with the ladies and seeing other people while Taylor would be focusing on her studies and not looking for a relationship to get in the way, let alone a long distance one. As far as she was concerned anyway, Taylor wouldn't have time to have a boyfriend while at Yale. As much as she liked being in a relationship, especially with someone who was her complete opposite, Taylor knew that a long distance one would not totally ruin their schedules and relationship, but it'd also ruin their friendship. That in of itself was too precious for her to give up. It would only hold her and Chad back from success. But would either of them really want it to end?

"I know." Chad nodded quietly. "But we'll always have memories, right?"

"Yeah." she agreed. Of course it wouldn't be the same.

Chad shook his head but his voice remained soft and quiet. "Look this isn't good-bye yet. At least...not until graduation." And yet he seemed so hesitant in saying that. Did Chad want it to be sooner? Or was he really not ready?

_That's ancient history,_

_Been there_

_Done that_

"Right. So we should probably enjoy the time we have left together. Especially tonight." Taylor said.

"Which reminds me..." Chad said, easily going back to his usual flirtatious ways, "...there's something we haven't done all night."

Taylor knew where this was going. "And what would be?" she asked innocently.

"This," Chad answered with a smile before moving in and kissing her. Taylor responded by wrapping one arm around him and her free hand digging into his hair, which then led to Chad's reaction of wrapping his armd tight around her. It was one of their rare passionate yet soft moments. The passion between the two of them was clear. It wasn't just a boyfriend/girlfriend moment. There was obviously something else there. Chad and Taylor always fit so well together. There was just a natural spark. When they had first tried to break Troy and Gabriella up they realized what a great team they made. This relationship they had only made them stronger as a pair and brought them closer together. Sure, everyone thought Troy and Gabriella had the perfect relationship, but there was just something between Chaylor that Troyella didn't have. It was there, but no one could quite put their finger on it.

"Alright you two, break it up."

And as usual there goes the mushy moment. The couple broke apart to see the drama teacher Ms. Darbus staring at them with her hands on her hips. Ah yes, the PG level of affection the chaperons had established long before the prom. That's what they were forgetting.

"You can save this for after the dance. Get back to your seats and eat your main course. This is prom, not a Shakespearean romance play." Darbus told them.

"Right. We're on it, Ms. D." Taylor nodded being the loyal student. Taking Chad's hand she led them back to their table where Jason and Martha were already seated.

_Who'd ya think you're kidding?_

_He's the earth and heaven to ya_

_Try to keep it hidden, honey we can see right through ya_

Reaching the table, Chad pulled open Taylor's seat so she could sit down. Sending him a thank you smile, she then sat down at the table across from Martha. Chad glanced around the table and saw the dishes they were serving at the prom. He had no idea what it was, but he just hoped it tasted better than it looked. He then turned back to Taylor.

"I'm gonna go get us some fresh drinks." he said.

"Alright." Taylor nodded.

Jason got up from his seat. "I'll go with you." he told Chad. "I wanna see if they have any packs of sugar around."

Chad rolled his eyes as he and Jason walked to the beverage table. "Dude for the last time, you can't put sugar in soda. It makes you nuts."

"Ok so it made me dance the Cotton Eyed Joe for two hours straight last time but I can handle it..." Jason replied, their voices now fading as they walked off and other people talking was well heard over theirs.

Taylor smiled and rolled her eyes, wondering if those boys would ever learn. Hearing Martha speak, she turned her head towards her.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Martha just giggled. "that's the boys for you."

"I suppose it is." she nodded in agreement.

Martha placed her finger to her chin, "Speaking of which, you and Chad looked like you were getting pretty cozy before."

Taylor shook her head. "I don't know what you were talking about."

"Alright I couldn't hear what you guys were talking about," Martha admitted, "but I did see your little romance moment."

"No offense to Chad, but one of the last things he is, is romantic." Taylor replied.

"It looked to me like you were in heaven kissing him." she observed.

"We're just enjoying the last time of our relationship while we can." Taylor stated, though she had no idea how Martha was going to believe her when she could hardly believe herself.

"No it was more than that." Martha replied.

"It was just an everyday kiss." Taylor defended.

"Sure it was." she said doubtfully.

Taylor groaned and leaned back in her seat.

_Girl ya can't conceal it_

_We know how you're feeling, who you're thinking of_

Knowing she wasn't going to get an answer from Taylor so easily, Martha decided to go with a different approach. "Have you ever thought of Chad as more than a boyfriend?"

"We're about to start college, Martha. There's no time to think about boyfriends. What more could a guy be right now?" she asked.

"Just because you're in a high school relationship doesn't mean it only has to be in high school." Martha explained. "Look at Troy and Gabriella. They're practically attached to the hip. Everyone knows they're not about to break up any time soon."

"Chad and I aren't Troy and Gabriella." Taylor reminded her.

"Maybe not, but don't you see some similarities in your relationships?" she offered.

Taylor shrugged her shoulders. "Opposites attract. Chad and I are practically complete opposites whereas Troy and Gabriella are opposites but with more of a common ground than me and Chad. Sure Chad and I both have a tendency to be stubborn, but other than that there's noting similar about us. He's a jock and a jokester and I'm a serious nerd. Troy and Gabriella, sure he may be a jock and she may be a math girl, but they connect through singing. What do Chad and I connect through?"

"I think you guys know that better than anyone else. You can't say that you and Chad are just a high school fling." Martha answered.

Taylor shook her head. "When we started senior year Chad was focusing on basketball and I was looking at as many colleges as possible. By the time the first semester was over we pretty much knew where we would be going after East High and agreed that a long distance thing wouldn't work. I need to concentrate on my studies and he probably wants the whole college experience and that includes seeing other girls."

"That's all you guys have talked about?" Martha asked.

Taylor shrugged again, "Haven't you and Jason discussed it?"

"We only recently got together. We're just going to see what happens with the rest of the year and take it from there. There's no sense in making plans now if plans are going to change." she replied.

"Well I think it's pretty obvious that Chad or I have no intentions of changing either of our plans." Taylor stated.

"Well you've got a week left before you decide to change your plans. And then we've got a couple of weeks of school left and finals. By then everyone's going to know where they're going for sure." Martha offered. "Why are you so ready to kick Chad out of your life anyway?"

"I'm not." she responded quickly.

Martha quirked an eyebrow, obviously not expecting that fast of a reaction from Taylor.

Taylor caught that and cleared her throat. "I mean...I'm not."

Before speaking again, Martha carefully thought her response through. She, like Taylor, was one of the smartest girls in school. Neither of them were to be taken for granted. But when dealing with each other or any other group of nerds out there every response had to be carefully thought out with pros and cons or evidence as to why they supported any statement they said. Taylor was well aware of this, which was especially why she was preparing herself for a smart comeback and trying not to give anything away.

"Taylor..." Martha finally spoke, "...do you think that maybe you're in love with Chad?"

_No chance, no way, I won't say it, no no_

_You swoon, you sigh_

_Why deny it, uh-oh_

If Taylor had been eating when she was asked that, she would have spit the food right out of her mouth. "Excuse me?"

Martha shrugged and repeated her question, "Do you think that maybe you're in love with Chad?"

Taylor rapidly shook her head. "no chance. Not me and Chad. Not like that."

"How can you not?" Martha asked. "When you look at him you've got this sparkle in your eye. He puts an extra bright smile on your face when he's by your side. Sure he may do stupid things sometimes but it wouldn't be the same if he did them. Face it, you love the stupid things he does. He makes you laugh and brings you up when you're down. He-"

"Martha, no. I am not in love with Chad." Taylor insisted.

"How do you know you're not?" she replied.

"How would you know if I am? We're eighteen, we don't know what real love is." Taylor replied.

"Until you experience it for yourself, which you obviously have." Martha stated.

"No I haven't. Chad's my first boyfriend, I can't love him." she retorted.

"How can you not? Give me three good reasons why you can't be in love with Chad." she said.

"We're about to go separate ways. Thousands of miles of separate ways. We're not going to be near each other and a relationship of that distance would only destroy us as a couple and as friends. We can't risk our friendship and there's no way it can last like that. He's bound to find someone better in the interim." Taylor explained. "Second, if we go with our instincts and try to be together then it's going to ruin all of our plans. we're not going to want to do anything without each other or go anywhere without having each other nearby. We'll be attached to the hip like Troy and Gabriella. That's not any good for a couple. We're going to end up doing something totally reckless. And...and..."

Taylor was really starting to let her emotions get the better of her. Here she was spewing out all the reasons why she and Chad shouldn't be in love let alone be together and she could barely handle it. Something wasn't right here. She wasn't supposed to be struggling to keep a stupid relationship with some lunkhead basketball man, she was supposed to be thinking about the future. She and Chad were the short term, they could never be long term. If they were then somehow everything was going to be messed up. But despite coming up with two good reasons of her own, Taylor halted at thinking of another one. She just couldn't. Why was it so hard to come up with one more friggen reason why she and Chad shouldn't be together when she knew it could just plain never happen?

"And most importantly, you can't be in love with him if he doesn't love you back." Martha finished for her.

Now that was something in the back of Taylor's mind that just bothered her. hypothetically, if she did love Chad and he didn't love her back then there was clearly no reason for them to stay together. What was the point of loving someone and committing to them if those feelings would never be equated? Maybe Chad really didn't feel that way about her anyway. After all he's dated lots of girls in the past. She was probably no different, aside from the fact that it was the first 'nerd' he dated. What made Taylor so special that Chad could have real feelings for her that he may have never had for any other girl? After all Taylor had kept trying to convince herself that this was all some high school fling. Maybe that's all it was to Chad too, just like everyone else. It didn't matter if Taylor loved him or not.... No, no! She was not just thinking that she might be in love with Chad.

_It's too cliché_

_I won't say I'm in love_

Martha raised an eyebrow watching Taylor's reaction. "Taylor are you alright?"

Taylor didn't respond. She placed her hand to her forehead, trying to keep herself under control. Suddenly she felt like everything was spinning, like nothing felt right. Taylor was one of a scientific mind so she relied on facts. She believed what she saw when she saw it because theories proved things right or wrong. And right now, unfortunately enough, Martha's theory seemed to be coming true. The one thing that Taylor had never thought would happen was happening. This just wasn't supposed to be how it was. Taylor was supposed to be planning for next year, not falling for her boyfriend.

"Taylor?" Martha repeated.

"I'll be right back." Taylor said as she let out a few heavy breaths before getting up and rushing out of the gym.

_I thought my heart had learned its lesson_

_It feels so good when ya start out_

_My head is screaming "get a grip, girl!"_

Taylor pushed open the door to the girls' bathroom and started pacing around, almost appearing frantic. She moved some hair out of her face and folded her arms, trying to get her thoughts together. She didn't even bother to see if there was anyone in there, she just needed some place to get things wanted to know that why, all of a sudden, everything became so dizzy and she felt like she couldn't remember a thing. All she did was picture college life...and all she had been able to see was Chad. She tried getting her mind onto something else and yet there he remained. He couldn't get out of her thoughts. And it drove Taylor crazy. Her breathing became heavy once more and her vision grew blurry.

Taylor was never one to fully understand the concept of falling in love. She didn't necessarily grow up with fairy tales and cheesy Disney movies with even more 'happily ever afters'. Sure she could daydream about things like that if she so desired, but she knew they didn't exist. Those things were just for stories and movies. There was no such thing as love at first sight or true love. Alright, so maybe she had doubted those intentions ever so slightly when Gabriella came into the picture with Troy, but that was totally different. Taylor didn't know where those two were going. It was too soon to tell if there really was a happily ever after for them or if it was true love. Now if she had seen the two together when they first met, after hearing Gabriella claim it was love at first sight, then perhaps Taylor would have a better time believing that. But Taylor sure as heck wasn't in love with Chad like that. It wasn't love at first sight at all. The two hated each other when they first met. there used to be a time where Taylor lived for their daily arguments. Something about them just livened her up a little. They challenged her, despite the fact they came from what she called a lunkhead.

But things change. The arguments died down and it almost became pure ignorance. Yes, in class one could almost always expect a debate from Chad and Taylor somehow, but other than that there was nothing. and then they teamed up and...it was a whole different way to see Chad. He wasn't the same lunkhead anymore. Maybe he matured or something...Taylor wasn't sure. But she knew there was something different about him. She couldn't quite tell what, but it was there. And somehow it attracted her to him. And although their scheme failed and thy did make things right, Taylor assumed things would go back to the way they were. But they didn't. Something inside her just kept thinking about Chad.

But she didn't even make the first move. He asked her out. Taylor had been shocked at first, but she did accept. Sure their first date wasn't perfect. Their second date was nowhere near good either. But towards the third one and when they double dated with Troy and Gabriella...something lightened up between them. As a matter of fact, during that first double date one would think Troy and Gabriella would leave early and let Chad and Taylor have time to themselves and try to work things out. But Chad and Taylor had left first to go do their own thing. And it stunned Troy and Gabriella, but Chad and Taylor had their time of their life. But for a while, before and after that one particular date, Taylor began questioning if Chad had asked her out because he wanted to or if it was just a spur of the moment thing. And for quite some time she really believed it was a spur of the moment. She had expected Chad to break up with her after the first month tops.

That didn't happen. They stayed together. Something in them just grew stronger. Even their first kiss was something magical. There was a spark there or something. But Taylor felt it. But that didn't mean it was love. It could have been the dinner they had or something. But then that wouldn't explain why the spark would continue to return every time they kissed. There had to be a more logical explanation for this. Not romance or love...just...she didn't know, just some kind of hard evidence that proved this was all a mistake.

Taylor shook her head again. She attempted to get her thoughts together and come up with a solution, her own way to prove that this was all in her head and not in her heart. First she tried to remind herself why she and Chad were planning to break up after graduation in the first place. Sure they had gotten pretty close but it was better to break up sooner than later and they wanted this to last until the end of high school. Then they could have the summer with their friends and go their separate ways. a long distance relationship would never work either. It just wasn't worth it, especially when they were both going to be so busy. Add in the difference between time zones and the two would hardly ever talk to each other. Things would fall out after the first week. That would ruin them and everything they had, getting to the point where the two wouldn't even be able to stand each other.

It led Taylor to figure out the only way to make sure Martha was wrong. All Taylor had to do was picture her life without Chad. If she could do that, then there was no love and there was nothing to worry about. Taking a deep breath, she leaned up against the wall and placed her hands on her arms. She then closed her eyes and tried to imagine her future at Yale. Taylor could easily picture fitting into a crowd that had the same interests as her, and of course after seeing the campus during her college visits it was obviously a school she could picture herself at. But there was an emptiness inside those visions. It started out vague but she could still see it. There was no sun in her mind. Just a cloudy sky turning to rain. Taylor imagined herself alone in her dorm room on a Saturday night while her roommate and friends would be out doing their thing when most Saturday nights Taylor would be with her own friends or Chad. She found it hard to focus on her vision after that and just kept trying to force Chad's face into the picture. Realizing that, Taylor tried to push those thoughts out of her head. But when she tried thinking about studying in the quietness of a library for a midterm or final, there was Chad sneaking up right behind her. When she saw herself alone on a Saturday night, there was Chad walking into her dorm to cheer her up. When the books of homework would pile on her desk, Chad would massage her shoulders and de-stress her. After that every scene at Yale she pictured herself in, there was Chad right with her. Taylor's eyes shot open and her heart began beating ten times faster than it already was.

_"Unless you're dying to cry your heart out!" Ooooh oooh_

"Oh my gosh..." she whispered to herself. Taylor slowly slid down the wall and sat down. As hard as it was with her prom dress, Taylor managed to pull her legs into her chest. She felt her body shivering, most likely an attempt to try and calm herself down. The one thing that she never thought would happen was happening. As much as she hated to admit it....

"I'm in love with Chad."

_You keep on denying_

_Who you are and how you're feeling_

_Baby, we're not lying, hun we say ya hit the ceiling_

She stayed in that position for a few moments before taking a deep breath and getting up. Taylor faced the mirror and looked at her reflection. Sure it had sort of been easy to admit it out loud - or rather quietly - but now she had to admit it to herself. She looked at her reflection in the eyes through her now tear-strained face. How could she get so worked up over this? Stupid relationship. She had to get involved with romance.

Taylor shook her head. She couldn't keep beating herself up about this. She couldn't change how she felt. And it happened, that's what mattered. And now she was standing in a bathroom instead of having the time of her life with everyone like she was supposed to. And Chad was probably worried sick about her. So the sooner she could admit this to her own face, the sooner Taylor could go back out there.

Leaning her hands against the sink, Taylor closed her eyes and looked down. "I'm in love with Chad." she whispered to herself, trying to let it sink in.

She then opened her eyes and looked right at her reflection. "Alright...so you love Chad. Now stop standing around and go back to him." Quickly washing her face, Taylor then turned on her heel and left the bathroom.

_Face it like a grown-up_

_When ya gonna own up that ya got, got, got it bad?_

Taylor left the bathroom and easily found Chad. He had left the table, looking like he was looking all over for Taylor. Poor guy must have been so worried. She walked over to him and as soon as Chad spotted her, he ran right over.

"Tay where were you? Everything ok?" Chad asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine." Taylor nodded.

Chad raised an eyebrow. he didn't seem less worried. "Are you sure? You look like you've been crying or something?"

"No, it's just...it's just the make-up I'm wearing. I think I'm allergic to it." she lied. "It made my eyes watery and itchy....I just had to go wash it off."

He seemed to have bought it. "Well you totally missed prom king and queen. It was hilarious."

"What happened?" she inquired.

Chad chuckled, "The principal said that Troy and Gabriella won the ballots. But when he couldn't find them anywhere he was asking who else wanted the crown. And Sharpay just dashed up to the stage and got the crown from him and was calling Zeke to come up through the microphone. She went all, 'Oh Zeke, Zekey! Come on. We're prom king and queen! Can you believe it?'" Chad had even made his voice sound squeaky and girlie when he imitated Sharpay.

Taylor started laughing. Chad always knew how to make her smile. Not a lot of people would have thought Taylor to be the type of girl with such a sense of humor. She had always been about school and books. But Chad brought out the more lively side of her. She enjoyed it every time. Like right now it was really helping her forget what she was even upset about in the first place. Oh yeah...stupid feelings for Chad. Blame it on the feelings.

"Yeah you really missed out." Chad said, their laughing slowly dying down.

"I guess I did." Taylor shrugged. "I sure picked a bad time to use the restroom."

"Well no more breaks tonight." Chad shook his head. "Cause here on out, it's all about us."

Taylor smiled and linked arms with Chad. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good." Chad replied with a grin. "Now how about we go see what kinda food that is waiting for us? I'm starving."

"You're always hungry." Taylor giggled as they headed back to their table.

_Whoa_

_No chance, no way_

_I won't say it, no no_

_Give up, give in_

_Check the grin, you're in love!_

Once the prom was over, everyone had to head out. Too bad for the students, because so many of them were begging to stay in the gym. After dinner it was all about dancing and the make-your-own-ice-cream-bar. After all, what kind of dance would it be without classics like the Macerena and the Cha Cha Slide? Not to mention ending the night off with a good old conga line. That's exactly how the teacher's tricked the students into leaving. In the middle of Michael Jackson's "Thriller", Principal Matsui started a conga line and got the students to join in and he led the conga line out the gym doors and into the hallway. Of course as soon as the last person was out he ran back in and closed the gym doors so he and the other chaperons could start cleaning up.

Naturally, a prom night wouldn't be complete without after-prom plans. Sharpay and Ryan were taking Zeke and Kelsi to their parents' country club where they could spend the night and then let Mr. Evans' helicopter drop them off at school for dress rehearsals and opening night of the spring musical the next day. Jason was taking Martha to his house to meet the family for some kind of family game night. Chad drove Taylor in his car to a hotel where they'd spend the night. Taylor didn't know which hotel they were staying at, exactly, but they had originally planned on going there with Troy and Gabriella. So what they ended up doing on the ride there was listening to some of Troy's and Gabriella's favorite songs. After a few songs from Troy's favorite radio station, Taylor came across an old Disney Classics CD in Chad's glove compartment and put on the love songs from it, knowing that would be exactly what Gabriella would want to hear.

Once arriving at the hotel, Chad parked the car and let Taylor out of the passenger's side. They then headed into the lobby to check in and get their room keys. They each did have a bad of clothes for the next day, but Chad claimed he was too tired to carry them in and said he'd get them in the morning after breakfast. But from what Taylor could see on the outside of the hotel, it wasn't cheap. Quirking an eyebrow at its fanciness, she then turned to Chad.

"This looks like it cost a fortune."

Chad shrugged his shoulders in response. "Nah, not really. I went in on it with Troy when we still planned on doing the double date thing."

"Still, this sure isn't the Holiday Inn I thought you guys were talking about. Chad, this is one of the most expensive hotels in Albuquerque." Taylor replied.

"Second most expensive. The most expensive was too fancy. We're here to have a nice night, not to blow our life savings." he said.

"All I'm saying is that you didn't need to go all out on one night, whether it's just us or with our friends." Taylor stated.

Chad stopped in front of the doors and turned to Taylor. "If there was ever a night to make one day right, that'd be tonight."

She raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Chad sighed, trying to figure out for a moment how to explain this. He wasn't exactly the best when it came to having a nice night out. He'd crack jokes, he didn't have the best table manners.... Chad knew all he didn't know was how to say it in words to his own girlfriend. who was he kidding, he couldn't even figure out how to say it to his own mother. And she was the one who knew about all of Chad's bad habits from day one.

"We haven't exactly gone on the best dates." he started. "When we first started we either had to walk everywhere or take the bus because I didn't have a car or my license. and then when I finally got my license, there was still no car. Sometimes our parents even had to drive us and you know how embarrassing that was. We'd be tired before we even got to the movies or restaurant, I'd always open my mouth and say something stupid, and we never once went to a nice place. Our first date after the after-party I took you to McDonald's. It can't get any cheaper than that.I even got myself the Happy Meal."

Taylor just stared at him. She was almost speechless for a minute. Getting her thoughts together, Taylor then shook her head. "What are you trying to say?"

Chad bit his tongue, "What I'm trying to say.... Is that before graduation, especially for tonight, you deserve to have the most amazing night ever. I've never been able to give that to you. I wanted to do something right for a change. I don't care how much dough I have to spend for this one night. you're worth it."

_You're doing flips, read our lips you're in love_

"Chad you don't need to worry about doing fancy things or treating me to what I do or don't deserve." Taylor told him. Her voice was soft, but because of what she was saying, Chad mistook it for disappointment or frustration or something.

"I just thought that for one night it'd be nice for you to have something special for a change." he sighed.

"You shouldn't be worried about that at all." she shook her head. "Everyday with you is special to me. I know most of our dates haven't been perfect, but they don't have to be. It's what we do on them and how much fun we have together that matters to me."

Chad raised an eyebrow, clearly confused.

"It's like our date to McDonald's," Taylor explained, "sure it was cheap, crowded, and full of little kids, but before then I hadn't been to McDonald's in ages. You tried to get us as empty a space as you could so it could be just us. You offered to carry everything to the table and garbage. And so what if you got yourself a Happy Meal? You gave me the toy inside of it. I attached that toy to a magnet and haven't taken it out of my locker since. You don't need to do big romantic gestures to impress me. You don't even have to go over the top for me. It's the little things you do that matters to me."

"I just wanted to make you happy." Chad admitted.

"I am happy. I've got you." Taylor answered.

Chad smiled and looked at her. "You're totally awesome, you know."

"I know." Taylor replied not-so-modestly.

Chad chuckled, knowing she was just joking.

"So how about we go inside and order some of that room service you're so hungry for?" she suggested with a smile.

Chad grinned and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so in."

_You're way off base_

_I won't say it_

_Girl don't be proud, it's ok you're in love_

_No chance, no way, I won't say it, no no_

The couple walked in through the lobby and were easily able to get the keys to their room. they then headed over to the elevator and took it to their floor. Taylor made sure to take in the sights as they moved along. Sure it wasn't the fanciest place they could have gone to, but it most definitely had some degree of fancy. She couldn't believe how much trouble Chad went to for her. It was going to be such a shame once they split ways. There was no way Taylor could take that. After realizing how she felt, she realized that what she had told Gabriella was a lie.

Before Gabriella decided to go to Stanford early, she had confided to Taylor her issues with Troy and what to do about it. Taylor responded by saying that there will be other guys and that Gabriella shouldn't give up her future for her first crush. But as soon as Taylor had said it, she knew she was wrong. As much as she hated to admit it, Chad had been her first crush as well. But she wasn't going to give up Yale just for him. There was no way she could. The way Taylor was beginning to look at it, it was best to see what happened between her and Chad and then see how she liked it at Yale. And if she hated it there and returned home after a while and it turned out Chad would be single then who knows, maybe they could get back together after breaking up or something. Taylor didn't know anymore. All she did know was that she didn't want this to end. As much as she wanted the night with Chad to be perfect, it didn't have to. It was perfect enough for her just to be with him and for them to have fun together.

But as far as her feelings went for him, it was probably best that he never knew.

_Give up, give in_

_Check the grin, you're in love!_

_This scene won't play_

_I won't say I'm in love_

Chad unlocked their room once they got there and held the door open for Taylor. She walked in and looked room was large with two beds, the window and balcony had a great view of the city, there was a door leading to a kitchen, and then what looked like was another door to the bathroom. The room was brightly colored and so inviting, and facing the beds was a flat screen TV. There was no way it was the presidential suite or something, but it was more than good enough for Taylor.

"This is amazing." she told Chad almost breathlessly.

Chad closed the door and walked over to her. "The two beds...well, one was gonna be for you and Gabs and Troy and I were gonna get the other one."

"Is that so?" she inquired.

"Well I didn't want those two getting any ideas while we were in the room." Chad joked.

Taylor giggled. "Gabriella would never!"

"Wanna bet?" Chad chuckled.

She playfully nudged him. "I know Gabriella wouldn't."

"How would you know? She and Troy are all the way in California." Chad grinned, slipping an arm around her.

"This coming from the guy who was so destroyed that his best friend wasn't at prom with us?" Taylor quirked an eyebrow.

"And you weren't?" he asked.

She sighed. "Of course I wished that Gabriella was with us. She didn't even tell me that she was going to Stanford. And the last time I saw her, she was just looking for friend advice and all I did was give her the same advice her mother would."

"You're practically like her big sister who happens to be the same age as her. You were just looking out for her." Chad shrugged.

"And what about you and Troy? Did he talk to you about going after her?" she asked.

"He was thinking about it, but I didn't think he'd do it." Chad admitted. He was silent for a minute before adding, "But I'm kinda glad he went."

"Are you now?" Taylor replied, a bit shocked at his response.

"Yeah." Chad nodded. He turned his head towards her. "Cause now we can do this in private as much as we want." He then leaned in and kissed her.

_You're doing flips, read our lips you're in love_

_You're way off base_

_I won't say it_

Taylor wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed her back. In response to that, Chad's arms snagged around her waist. There was that something between them again. Unfortunately for them they just had to be so stubborn. Chad always seemed to be, to an extent, a tough guy. A person who would rather hit a wall than show emotions. He didn't cry easily. Taylor, on the other hand, just plain kept her feelings bottled up. Sometimes even her parents were lucky enough to know how she felt about something. She always had this thought that she could handle everything on her own and that she was ready to be on her own. She didn't need anyone protecting her and whatnot. Taylor was an independent and opinionated woman; no way would she back down from something so easily. But there was always going to be a time when she stepped back and said that something was wrong and that she had to fix it. Like any other person would feel at a time like this, her heart was saying one thing but her mind was telling her something else. Some people would go with their heart and just look for happiness. Taylor was never one to follow her heart. Maybe sometimes her gut. But most of the time, she listened to her mind. She focused on facts and logic. And from the back of her mind seeping to the front, her head was telling her that she and Chad had to end this. For both of their sakes. Taylor was almost ready to pull back and speak, but as soon as she felt Chad's hand moved gently in circles around her back she just couldn't bring herself to do anything less of relaxing. Every time Taylor wanted to get out, he found a way to pull her back in. Could he maybe feel it, too?

No, there was just no way. Chad had dated plenty of girls before, so Taylor had to be no different. This just happened to be the longest relationship he was in. It didn't mean anything to him. While Taylor was unsure of what Chad really thought of their relationship, she always saw him as wasting his time. Why would Chad Danforth stick with someone so opposite of him for so long? It's been practically a whole year. Chad never even went half that long with another girl. If anything, he had to be flattering Taylor. And while her mind kept repeating facts she already know, part of Taylor just didn't want to hear it. She had to stop it; it'd be for the best. Shutting her eyes tightly and waiting for just one moment, Taylor pulled away.

Once apart, Chad could see a good arms' distance between the two of them. Taylor was moving out of reach of him. She almost looked hurt, but she had this serious look on her face. He stared at her wide-eyed and blankly, having no idea what just happened. Well, he did know what just happened. She pulled away from their kiss big time. But the question was, why?

"Tay what's the matter?" he asked.

She merely shook her head. "We have to stop." she answered, trying to keep her voice stoic.

"What are you talking about?" Chad replied.

She shook her head again. "I have to go." Taylor turned to start walking out, but Chad stepped forward, trying to stop her.

"But we were gonna spend the night here. Why do you have to...?" he started.

"Why do we have to keep doing this?" she replied, turning back to him. "Why do we keep putting off what's eventually going to happen? We can't keep acting like nothing's going to change."

Chad shook his head. "Nothing's gonna change."

"Everything is going to change." she corrected. "I'm going to Yale, Chad. Do you have any idea how far away that is? And you're staying here. We knew the deal. This lasts until high school is over and then we're over. We agreed it would be best for both of us." As nonchalant as Taylor tried to be, that didn't stop the pain inside. She just wanted to get this over with as fast as possible. She had to get through to Chad somehow.

Now Chad shook his head once more, almost looking like he was fearing the worst. "Tay what are you trying to say?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them and looked directly at Chad. This was going to kill her, she could already feel it. "We planned on lasting until graduation. But if we don't end it sooner then we may never be able to. Chad, you know what I'm trying to say. And what I'm trying to say is...that we have to break up now."

He kept shaking his head, refusing to believe it. There was no way he could be hearing what he thought he heard. "No.... No, Tay..."

She backed away when he tried to step forward. The look in his eyes only made the lump in her throat bigger. As much as she just wanted to run into Chad's arms, she was doing everything in her power to keep her position. Taylor just hoped that she'd be able to get out without Chad seeing her cry.

"I'm sorry." she managed to choke out, spinning towards the door to get out.

Chad was completely stunned. He looked like he was going to do anything to get her back. But instead of just begging her to stay he blurt out what some would probably say was such a stupid thing to blurt out at a time like this.

"Taylor, no.... I love you!"

_Get off my case_

_I won't say I'm in love_

_No chance, no way, I won't say it, no no_

Just as Taylor's hand was about to touch the doorknob, she heard Chad. She froze in her place, not believing what she a moment to digest it in, she slowly turned to face Chad.

"What did you say...?"

Chad took a deep breath and moved just a few steps closer. It almost looked like he couldn't believe what he said himself. "I said...I said I love you."

Taylor had no idea why her response was what it was about to be, but for some reason she just refused to believe him. "You can't..."

"I can and I do." he admitted.

"You don't...you can't.... This isn't supposed to happen. We're not supposed to be in love." she insisted.

"I didn't expect it to happen either. It just...it just did. You're brilliant, you're strong, beautiful great sense of humor.... And you may be stubborn and opinionated but I love how you don't take bull from anyone and you just speak your mind. All those other things that people hate about you, I didn't just learn to love about you. It's how I really feel." Chad confessed. "But I don't blame you if you don't feel the same way about me. Ok, I know you don't. That's why I never said anything sooner. Cause I knew if I did then I'd just totally wreck everything or you'd feel like you'd have to stay in this relationship for me."

"That's not true..." she started.

"If you wanna go...then you can go. But it's not gonna change how I feel. I know what you always said about long distance things not working out. And for a while I agreed with you. But look at everything we went through in the past year. If that can make us stronger then who says a long distance relationship can't do the same?" he continued, his voice softening. "i don't like being away from people I care about. I'm staying home so I can be near my family. And even if Troy decides to switch schools I'll at least know he won't be that far. But if I could I'll fly out to you every month just to see you. We don't have to give our futures up for each other. I know what I want. I want basketball. And I want you."

They looked at each other dead in the eyes, not once avoiding each others' gazes. They stood across from each other just like that. Chad was expecting her to leave, but Taylor had never expected Chad to say all of that. Her heart began beating faster and she thought she was going to start hyperventilating if this kept up.

"You're such an idiot." she breathed.

_Give up, give in_

_Check the grin, you're in love!_

_This scene won't play_

_I won't say I'm in love_

Chad opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything Taylor ran right into his arms and kissed him full-on on the lips with every ounce of passion she had. Not wasting any time, Chad wrapped his arms around her and held her as close as possible. As Taylor's arms moved around his neck, Chad began to eagerly further the kiss. Taylor easily accepted and their grip on each other tightened. Aside from only occasionally moving one hand to go through each others' hair they barely moved an inch. The two just stood there kissing and holding each other close.

This was the something that Troy and Gabriella didn't have that Chad and Taylor did. These two had pure, raw, passion. The passion Troy and Gabriella had was soft and subtle. Sure Chad and Taylor's passion could be classified as a bit rougher, but it could be seen from a mile away. If anyone walked in on Troy and Gabriella making out, they'd just stand there watching until the couple noticed. But with Chad and Taylor's session, anyone who would walk in on them would leave as soon as they saw what was happening. Everyone knew better than to disturb them.

Feeling a bit of pain from such the tight grip, Chad needed something soft to rest his arms on. He managed to move Taylor onto the bed and he got on top of her. His arms were now between her back and the bed and he instantly felt more comfortable. His body lay on a diagonal to hers so only his upper body was on top of hers. Knowing there was no stopping them until they ran out of breath now, Taylor freely moved one of her hands through Chad's hair and even went so far as to twirl the curls in her finger. Enjoying the feel of that, Chad did his best to move his hands around her back which then caused Taylor's free hand to nearly move freely around his body.

It wasn't long before they became short on breath and their movements slowed down. By the time they finally broke apart for air, a few buttons on Chad's shirt was undone and Taylor's headband had fallen out of her hair and onto the floor. Their faces were inches apart and they were breathing heavily just trying to catch their breath. Even if they could go further than they just did, they knew they wouldn't need to. Chad and Taylor could tell exactly how each other felt right now. That was all that mattered.

_You're in love, you're in love_

_Ooooooh_

"So..." Chad managed to breathe out, though they were both still in the midst of catching their breath, "...are we still together?"

Taylor was ready to jump just to answer him. Why wouldn't she? Despite all that doubt and trying not to admit how she felt, the guy she really did love felt the exact same way about her. They just kissed like they never kissed before and were so close that they didn't want to let go. But just because Taylor was Taylor, part of her felt like she needed some reassurance.

"You really think we can make the long distance thing work?"

"I know we can." he answered. "But, that's just the idiot talking." he added with a chuckle.

Taylor giggled. She shook her head and met his gaze. "But you're my idiot."

Chad smiled, knowing exactly what that meant. "So it's a yes?"

"Yes times ten to the tenth power plus another ten to the twentieth power." she answered with a warm smile.

He smirked playfully. "Your lips are saying numbers but all I hear is yes, yes, and yes." He kissed her softly on the lips, but knowing they were still a tad short on breath he made it brief before pulling away and just resting his forehead on hers.

"I love you Chad." she finally confessed, feeling so relieved to finally get it off her chest.

"I love you, too." he answered.

With their arms and bodies tangled with each others' it wasn't long before they dosed off to sleep. They just lay on the bed side by side holding onto each other, knowing they wouldn't even need the second bed. after a night of dancing, drama, realization, confession, kissing, more kissing, heartbreak, more confessions, and a make-out session, a good night's rest was well deserved. But hey, that was prom.

_At least out loud_

_I won't say I'm in...love_

_Sha la la la la la...ah_

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Wow that was a really long chapter! And worked on over the course of about half a week, too. What's that, like three or four days? Eh, maybe more like four or five. XD This was originally going to be a one-shot but I thoguht it'd fit the song so much better. I don't even think I've written anything like this before so that's either really bad and scary or really good and successful. We'll never know! lol So anyway, I think I've finally got a weekend where I won't have a ton of homework so during that time I'm planning to work on the next chapter of B&B which is basically just the credits and finishing the picture, along with adding a song, and then it won't be too long before the final chapter of it. I'll be sure to keep you guys updaetd on that. Don't worry, I'll have plenty more stories to come soon. Expect massive amounts of Chaylor cause we all know they deserve more appreciation and we lal love them! ^^ So have a...let's see today's Wednesday so...have a happy Wednesday everyone and what will soon be a Happy Thanksgiving! C=


	35. I Need a Friend

Hello again everyone! Hope you all had a happy thanksgiving. I didn't do much except eat turkey and watch TV but it was still pretty good. Trying to stall on more homework. xD So here's another chapter for you guys. I was with one of my friends last weekend and we watched the three Aladdin movies and this is a song from the second one so it got me thinking how it would be with Chad and Taylor.  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the song, or HSM.

* * *

You know, some people dream of traveling the world and doing what they love. All they think about doing is going out to see the world. They never even think about what they're leaving behind. Trust me, I should know. I've been traveling my entire life. I thought it was what I loved and that I'd be doing it forever. But you know what they say - the grass isn't always greener. And dudes, the grass sure isn't greener where I come from.

**I parachuted down into the Taj Mahal**

**I rollerbladded all along the Great Wall**

**I even made the famous leaning tower fall**

It started when I was about ten. My dad got this job that had him traveling all over the world. So my mom and I got to move around with him. I don't even remember what he did anymore. I think it had something to do with being in the army or something. But it didn't just have us traveling all the U.S. We've been to places like Europe and Asia. We went to different countries like China, Spain, Paris, and Hollywood. Alright, all that traveling didn't make me any better at geography. Even now I can't tell the Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific one.

But all those places I've been to, they're supposed to bring home great memories. While my dad went traveling and when I wasn't in school my mom and I would spend time seeing the sights. We took a ton of pictures and sent them to family. Boy there's some crazy stories about us. We went skydiving right near the Taj Mahal. We traveled all along the Great Wall of China and ended up getting lost so far from out home. We even made a joke about when we accidentally ran into the Leaning Tower and that's why it's leaning over now. See those are the times that are supposed to be fun and that you remember forever. But when you've lived it your whole life there's just no fun in it anymore. It gets boring. Unfortunately for me, I didn't realize it until I was much older.

**But who was with me through it all?**

**Nobody!**

See when I was younger there was this girl I practically grew up with. We've been next door neighbors since we were three. Taylor moved into New Mexico that year and our parents got along great. We all really made them feel at home. The first time that Taylor and I actually met we argued over who could get the last cookie my parents brought over for the housewarming party. She got it of course and I put up a fit. But somewhere along that line we got along so well. She was the smartest person I ever met. When we got homework in first grade she always came over to help me. We got together on Thanksgiving and during the holidays and celebrated together.

But she couldn't come when my family left. I was really young then and wanted to believe that we could stay friends through it all. She was my first friend, and I didn't wanna leave her behind. So I always made sure to talk to her. It worked out fine at first and we'd talk once a week about how we were doing. Once in a while we were even able to see each other. My mom would fly me back to New Mexico during the summer to see her and we'd get together during winter break from school.

Then it got harder. We had more homework and we went separate ways. In high school there was barely time to talk at all. We almost forgot each other existed. We had our own lives now, nothing special. I didn't even stop to think that even though I had my family with me wherever I went, I didn't have the one person that mattered more. I saw her once before starting college. We barely even talked. And then I found out that she was seeing someone. And I don't know why, but it really hurt. It hurt big time. So I just left without saying anything else to her.

**The Moscow Circus hired me to fly trapeze**

**On Mount Olympus won a race with Hercules**

**It's easy when you're chased by killer bees**

**Who said "gesundheit" when I sneezed**

I had ended up deciding that I wanted to travel. It's already been such a big part of my life, so why not keep it up when high school was done? I stayed in one school for the first semester and then transferred to another country right after that. Wherever I went I was sure to be doing what I loved, and that was basketball. I did that wherever I went and it didn't seem to make a difference. Everyone thought I was a good player and had a future in it. I didn't even end up finishing college - I just went right on one of the international circuits. I was able to travel everywhere to play the game. I was doing what I always wanted to do, the one thing I always thought I was best at. You'd think that'd make a guy happy. But here's a funny fact - it didn't.

It's one thing when you're successful and have your teammates or family to celebrate with. But I never saw eye to eye with my team. They didn't even like me. Thought I was too cocky or something. I don't know, I never really paid attention. And my folks always had their own jobs to do so they couldn't always come celebrate with me. I didn't even have one friend to party with when we won a tough game. So when you're some big successful dude but you don't have anyone by your side...well, it kinda makes the whole victory feel pointless. Like, empty. It made me think about how great things used to be. Even if I was moving all around when I was younger at least I still had one important person by my side.

And that person was Taylor.

**So now I'm home**

**Home again with you**

It was probably a little too late, but about two years after the whole basketball career I ended up quitting and going back to the states. The first place I thoguht of to go was New Mexico where we lived. I didn't know where else to start. And sure, it seemed kinda pointless since I didn't even know if she was there or not...but it was the only lead I had. Much to my surprise, her mom was still living in the same house. She was the nice welcoming lady I remembered who always let me in to play with Taylor when we were little. I had learned so much about all their lives that day. And as awkward as it was to talk to a friend or a friend's mother - neither of which I'd talked to myself in practically ten years - it just felt good to be home.

We had kept our conversation small and simple. Mrs. McKessie told me about how things went since the last she saw me herself. She was still working a little but it was only a matter of time before she was retired. Said something about planning on selling her house and that she had more than enough money saved up in her pocket and in the bank to support herself and Taylor if necessary. I also found out that her husband had died after a fight with cancer. I apologized for not being around, of course. We made a few jokes about how overprotective Mr. McKessie could be around those he cared about. We even said that if I was going to be anything more than friends with Taylor he was gonna drop this father/son type outlook he had on me and treat me like a criminal mastermind.

So then I ended up taking a bold step - asking about Taylor. Her mom seemed a bit shocked but then again, not so shocked. It was almost like she knew I was gonna ask, just not as late as I did. She told me a little about Taylor's life, but felt like if I was gonna talk to anyone about Taylor it'd have to be Taylor herself. I casually asked what Mrs. McKessie could tell me about her. She responded by asking when the last time was I saw Taylor, as her memory was a touch foggy. I admitted to seeing Taylor with a guy and that they were dating. Mrs. McKessie clearly remembered him, saying how she never liked that guy and was glad Taylor broke it off with him. She then looked at me suspiciously, seeing I let out a sigh of relief. I tried covering up for it, but with little luck. Something told me she knew exactly what I was thinking.

So finally it was time for her to ask me what was on my mind: what I was doing back home.

**You chase the clouds away**

**Whenever I am blue**

**(You're always blue)**

"I guess I just feel like I'm missing something." I confessed. "But I don't know what."

"You have been traveling all your life. Maybe you're contemplating on whether or not to settle down." she offered as she poured me a fresh cup of a tea. Mrs. McKessie always had such a logical mind - that's where Taylor got it from.

"I was so convinced that this is what I wanted to do. But what good is seeing the world if I've got no one to see it with?" I asked.

"That's a question only you can answer." she pointed out. And then, as if she was probing my mind, she brought up the topic of her again. "Taylor has been doing her share of traveling as well. Not as extensively as yours perhaps, but I think she's been given a good idea what you've gone through."

I raised an eyebrow, "Has she?"

Mrs. McKessie nodded, "Sophomore year she decided to study abroad in Italy. She wanted to see what the other countries were like so every summer after that, including in graduate school, she traveled to some place new. It was quite an adjustment for her to go through."

"What happened?" I inquired.

She took a sip of her tea before continuing, "Well somewhere along the way she was feeling a little homesick. Traveling and seeing new places may have been exciting, and maybe she did have a few classmates by her side, but like you said there was something missing. She came home and stayed here for a while before looking for a place of her own to settle down in. I think she's living in a small town in California now."

"Can you tell me where?" I asked.

"I'll give you directions on how to get there." she offered. "Take my advice on one thing. People always say that friends come and go but family's forever. That's not going to be entirely true. Who are you going to turn to when you don't have a family or when you're not near them? Friendship is a very important thing, son. And I'm afraid it's something that you've terribly been lacking. So please, don't keep going on like this. You've had one true friend who's never stopped thinking about you and now you have a chance to get her back. So please, don't take friendship for granted."

I just wished that I had been able to find out sooner than that.

**And the pyramids I highly recommend**

**There is nothing in the world quite like a friend**

I had just landed in California after a long plane ride and was on my way to find Taylor. I had so many things to tell her. I followed the directions her mom printed out from MapQuest and was half way there via taxi cab. But then I got a call from my mom saying my dad suffered a heart attack. They were in Egypt at the time so I had to take the cab back to the airport and fly out to Cairo. Taylor would have to wait.

Luckily the attack my dad suffered was only minor. He was done with his current job and switched to working as a traveling businessman of sorts, despite the fact that after that my mom insisted he retire or work from a real home. But my dad never believed in that; he wanted to work until the day he died and he didn't think working from a house on a phone or computer was good enough. So we kept on traveling. As much as I didn't wanna stick around, I had to for my parents' sake. We made our way to Morocco but spent little time there so traveled across seas towards Spain. The entire time I had stayed in contact with Taylor's mom informing her on how everything was going. I told her that I was gonna have to postpone my visit and luckily she understood. I told her to keep my plan of seeing Taylor a secret so it could be a surprise. But after I said that, I regretted it. I began thinking that despite what Mrs. McKessie said, there was no chance that Taylor would remember me. I started to come to the conclusion that maybe I wasn't the type of guy to just have friends, that I was only meant to be a loner and do my own thing.

**Slept like a baby in Bombay on a bed of nails**

**Moroccans loved my daring dance of seven veils**

**Why single handedly I even saved the whales**

**No one was there to hear my tales!**

My parents and I were about to leave Spain when my dad suffered another heart attack. Unfortunately he didn't recover from that one. My mom and I became short on money, and all we had left that were useful were my dad's frequent flier miles. With my mom not having found a steady job since we started traveling, she'd gone so many years without working. So I had to take whatever jobs I could find to keep us going. I told her that somehow I wanted to get back to the states, and she agreed. I think she was ready to go back to the place that we called home as well.

After my dad's funeral I prepared to call Mrs. McKessie and tell her what was going on, but I only got her voicemail. I can't even count how many messages I left for her. What I didn't learn until much later was that she had been taking the bus to visit a family member out of town and on the way back the bus became involved in an accident. I wouldn't have even been able to make it back in time for the funeral. It was not a very good year.

**In Aculpolco joined a Mariachi band**

**I rode the ragin' rapids down the Rio Grande**

**Flew in an air balloon, but when I tried to land**

**Nobody laughed or lent a hand**

When my mom and I finally made it back home almost two years later...I can't even tell you how long it's been since I saw Taylor last. It had been a total roller coaster. Mom wanted to head back to New Mexico but I wound up convincing her to go to California. After all, it wasn't that far from New Mexico and we'd be staying on the same coast. i had even kept the mapquest directions to get to Taylor's, hoping it'd come in handy. What are the odds that my mom and I found some good deals on houses in that exact same area. Folks around the place didn't seem friendliest, though. My mom and I still had some valuables from when we traveled, so that probably had the neighbors jealous. Or at least under the impression that we had a lot of money. The family across the street was really nice, though. At least the mother and son were. The dad...well, he was a regular Oscar the Grouch. She siad that if my mom and I ever needed anything we could ask. I ended up babysitting the kid to earn a few extra bucks while trying to find another job. Nice kid. His name was Albert. Real good head on his shoulders. Something about him reminded me so much of Taylor. When I brought that name up, his whole face lit. Albert said that's the name of the nice lady who always babysat him. But there was no way that could be the same Taylor I'd been trying to see again all this time.

I decided to find out more about this Taylor anyway, and see if there was a connection somehow. Al said that the Taylor that always watched him was real smart and helped him with his homework. Apparently she lived right next door to me, and was out of town for the week. He said I'd really like her. And if it was my Taylor, I knew I would.

**Without you, the Amazon's just a trickle**

So I waited until the end of the week to see when she'd come back. My mom would find me staring out one of the windows most of the time. I think by now she knew who I was looking for. To be honest, I'm surprised she didn't figure it out sooner.

Funny that the time I did see Taylor again was the last time I expected to see her. Mom went out with some other ladies to play Bingo at the community center. I spent the morning sleeping in, and then after breakfast went in for a nice how shower. By the time I had gotten out and put on a towel there was a knock on the door. I just figured it was going to be the mailman with a package or something, but much to my surprise, right there from out of the blue, was her.

She looked as good as ever. She had this amazing figure and her hair had grown back down past her shoulders, the length it used to be when we were little kids. Her eyes were this really bright and shining brown and her caramel skin just glistened under the California sunlight. Even when we were younger she was shorter than me, and she still was now but not by as much. And ehr style had certainly changed. She went from this cute little girl wearing Hello Kitty shirts and sweater vests to a beautiful young woman who had knee length skirts and a matching shirt with a snappy looking tie. I could tell right away that it was her. I know she was hesitant towards me at first, because when my hair was wet it didn't look half as bushy as it really was. So naturally she knew my by my curly afro.

"Chad?"

I was completely captivated by her voice, forgetting that I was standing in the doorway in nothing but a damp towel.

"Hey Taylor."

**Without you, the Sahara's not so hot**

She didn't waste any time wrapping her arms around my and hugging her close. I tell you, it was the best feeling in the world. I wrapped my arms around her in an instant and I could smell a nice orangey smell coming from her hair. It had to have been shampoo or something. Did she even remember I liked oranges?

"I can't believe you're actually here." she said as we slowly broke apart. "Where have you...? What's been going...?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. I hadn't even realized that my towel fell onto the ground. "It's a long story. I'll tell you about it over coffee. I mean, you know if you like coffee. We could go to Dunkin Donuts for a drink and some food like we used to on the weekends."

I was totally blabbing but she just giggled. Taylor didn't seem to have a care at all. "I'd love to. Get coffee, I mean."

"Great." I replied with a wide smile. I saw her expression fall and I wondered what was wrong. She saw my questioning look and pointed down. I followed her gaze and saw my towel on the floor. My face turned so red when I struggled to put it back on. And boy was it uncomfortable. I think some ants crawled around on it while it was on the ground, because my thighs were itching for the rest of that day! How embarrassing. And even more embarrassing - it was in front of Taylor.

**Without you, the Niagara Falls is just a leaky faucet**

We spent the entire day catching up in my kitchen. We were just laughing about the crazy things we did when we were younger and how stupid we were. Not that she ever was stupid, of course. But just sitting at the table and laughing with Taylor, it was the most I've felt at home in years. I felt more complete this way.

"So what finally made you come back?" she asked after a while.

I looked at my mug and shook my head. "You're not gonna believe me if I told you. It's such a long story."

She gave me this warm and inviting look, "Chad I haven't seen or spoken to you once since that time you visited when we were in high school. I've got nothing but time for you to hear everything."

So I ended up telling her the whole story. I told her everything I went through since I left. Taylor didn't even once interrupt me. Once in a while when I said something funny she'd tell a brief story about how that reminded her of something, but as soon as she told me to continue that's just what I did. I met her gaze a few times, but from what I got a response she just sat there and nodded. But I know the look she was giving me; she was listening to my every word. By the time I finished, she was in such disbelief.

"So this entire time you were just trying to find me?" she asked softly.

I gave a nod, feeling kind of idiotic about it. when she said it like that...I don't know, it just made me feel like I went through all of that for nothing.

"All I had ever known, since I can remember, are two things. You, and traveling." I admitted. "So because I've spent almost all my life traveling with my parents I convinced myself that it's what I was meant to do and it's what I wanted. But I could never once stop feeling like something was missing. Sure, I had a lot of great hits, but they didn't mean anything because I didn't have anyone important to share them with. And then I thought, I had friends in elementary school in New Mexico that came and went all the time. But you were always there. And it really made me wish that you were traveling with me right then and there. There was nothing to look forward to without someone to see everything with. The Taj Mahal always had these couples looking for true love there. The Eifel Tower had tons of large groups of families and friends taking pictures of it and being in pictures with it. Heck, even the world's largest sub sandwich had Peter Griffins and Homer Simpsons drooling over it together. But I didn't have anyone like that. It was just me, myself, and I."

**And the QEII is just some yacht**

I brought myself to lock eyes with her and she had more of a concerned look then anything else.

"And it took you all this time to find just little old me?"

I nodded. "I just wanted my friend back." I confessed.

**Now that I'm home,**

**Home again, it's clear**

Taylor actually got out of the chair across from me. She went to sit in my lap and looked right into my eyes.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

I didn't have much of a choice but to meet her gaze. "I guess I just never thought you'd remember me."

"Of course I would. You're the first friend I ever made. It took me so long to get used to not seeing you in school or right next door." she replied.

I raised an eyebrow. "But you were always so happy when I called."

"Because I never got to see you. Hardly ever. I just wanted to hear your voice. And it meant even more when we saw each other for the holidays those few times." Taylor replied.

"But that guy.... When I came back in high school briefly you were in this great relationship." I reminded her.

"He was the most popular guy in school. I liked him because all the other girls did. And for some reason, he chose me as a girlfriend over everyone else." she explained. "I don't even know what I saw in him. Sure, there were times when he made me happy. But that was only when he got me these really nice things. They didn't even mean anything. He wasn't even a nice guy. And that time you came home and I was with him, he had surprised me with tickets to an ice show, oen i'd been dying to see for years. It had me so overjoyed. And because of that, I barely got to see you. And that was my last chance to tell you in person how much I missed you. And how much I wanted you back so we could actually go to school together again. For college."

**All I ever wanted**

**Seems to be right here**

I shook my head in disbelief. All this time I thought she had forgotten about me, she'd thought about nothing but me. It was just like how I was with her.

"After I quit my first job I went back briefly. I saw your mom...she told me that you wanted to travel, too. So you were." I said.

"Yes and no." she answered. "I thought that you had fallen in love with traveling. So I wanted to see what you saw in it. I told my mom I had loved it as well. But after a few years, I said that I was getting homesick. But that was sort of a lie."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She took a deep breath. "What I mean is.... I guess a small part of me was sort of hoping to find you if I studied abroad. I knew it seemed against my favor, but I really wanted to believe I could find you. So when I gave up and realize there was no chance, I went home. And I came out here to California. But one thing that's true, it makes no sense to see the world if you're going alone."

I took a long look at her. I just took in everything about her. And even though I didn't mean to, I had completely blocked out everything that she was saying. All I could see was Taylor. With me. In my home. Together. And it felt right. I felt better than I had in a long time. I didn't feel like I was trying to find what I wanted to do, or struggling to just try and be happy. I felt like we were sitting on a big welcome mat that said 'home sweet home'. And she was the sweetest part of it. I don't entirely know what brought me to do what I did next. Maybe I was getting delusional. Maybe I was letting my fantasies get the better of me. Or maybe I had finally realized how much I'd fallen in love with her. I broke the gap between us and just kissed her.

**I've traveled East and West**

**And now I'm back again!**

I pulled away from her a few seconds later and all she could do was stare at me wide eyed with her mouth wide open. I just looked at her like that and I began wondering if I did the wrong thing. But much to my surprise, just as I was about to say something, she put her finger to my lips and just looked at me. We locked eyes and she just stared at me. It was like she was thinking about something, or getting her thoughts together. When she did, she kissed me. And it was the best feeling in the world. It brought this great relaxation to me that I had never been able to feel. I didn't just feel a heap of friendship surging through my body, but also an incredible amount of passion and love. When she pulled away from me we just looked into each others' eyes and put our foreheads against each other. I wrapped my arms around her waist and her arms were around my neck. We sat there in silence for some time until I opened my big mouth. And I say big mouth because even now I feel like it was this special moment that I had to go and ruin.

**And there's nothing in the world quite like a friend**

"So...did you really like traveling?" I wondered.

"A little." she admitted. "But it just didn't feel right. There was something missing. Or someone."

"I see." i nodded, just trying to figure out how to say what I wanted to say. I was just glad that I was only feeling scatterbrained and not a draft down under. I had been smart enough to put some clothes on before eating at the kitchen table with her. But you probably already figured that out.

"Well what is the point of traveling if you don't have someone to share it with." she shrugged her shoulders.

I raised an eyebrow, but I could tell that she could see through my all-knowing look.

"There's some place you wanna visit, isn't there?"

**There's nothing in the world**

"Well..." Taylor replied in such an innocent tone, "...I have always wanted to see Jamaica. Or maybe drive around in New Zealand."

I'd really hate to bring her hopes down now, but.... "I just settled in here with my mother. I think I should probably stay with her for some time."

Taylor nodded. "I understand."

**Nothing in the whole wide world**

"But..." I added in my own innocent tone. I could already see a smile growing on her face. "I just might be into doing a little more traveling if I had someone with me."

"Like a friend?" she guessed.

I nodded and shrugged my shoulders. "A friend.... A more than a friend..."

Taylor giggled. "You used to be that charming when we were ten, too."

"So is that a yes?" I assumed.

She smiled widely and nodded. "It's yes times a thousand."

I couldn't even explain how excited I was now. Maybe my whole life wouldn't revolve around traveling, but as long as I had one friend by my side I knew I'd enjoy every minute of it. Even if that friend could be my girlfriend one day. Too bad we can't just skip to that part.

**There's nothing in the world quite like a friend**

I gave her a kiss and she giggles. Probably something about it that tickled her.

"How about we celebrate with another cup of coffee?" i suggested.

"I'll go get a fresh pot." she offered. She smiled at me then got off my lap, taking our mugs over to the counter with her.

I sighed contently as I watched her walk. This was definitely how it was supposed to be. But still, there was just one little thing that was bothering me.

"Wait.... What do you mean, 'used to be that charming'?"

**Nothing in the whole wide world!**

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Oh yeah, gotta love some humor in the ending. Just thought that'd make it kinda funny. XD I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It started out slow, but of course it picked up with the wonderful world of Chaylor! ^^ One of the next songs I plan to do is Love from Robin Hood, and I'm really hoping the idea I have for that fits the song. As for any other stories, I plan to put up a forum to hear what you guys have to say about future Disney/HSM crossovers. I'll tell you right now, I'm not doing a Princess story right off the bat because even when I asked some friends on here for opinions there was a huge debate over who should be who's prince and which girl would fit into which Princess story...yeah, that itself is a long story. But I promise, when I do start the forum I'll type up what my first idea is and look to see what you guys think. And as for my new story, I have the trailer uploaded and I will probably put it up next month before the semester ends so then that way it'll give me time over the winter vacation to type up a few chapters to go with it. It will be mostly Chaylor and Troypay (probably more Chaylor than Troypay, but I'm also trying to branch out with some couples in my stories) with minor Traylor (that feels so weird for me to type!) and even minor-er Chadpay (even weirder to type!). And I hope you have also enjoyed reading my little spats of craziness down here because I live to entertain.... And apparently gross out my mom with bad food combinations at the dinner table. o_0 Anyway all, keep in touch and hope to hear from you all soon!


	36. Choose

Yes, I am doing once again what I should not be doing.... Writin another chapter when i should be doing homework instead! =O Why must this be so addicting? Curse you fanfiction! -waves fists in anger- Ok anyway, you have just experienced "Nothing Like a Friend" followed by my going crazy, which was followed by more of me going crazy. So while you're in the area please enjoy a chapter with Robin Hood's "Love". And stay tuned for little reminders at the bottom. Everyone, enjoy! ^_^  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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It seemed like only yesterday that the halls of East High were flooded with students and teachers rushing to get to class or run out of the building on a Friday afternoon. Things were so much simpler back then. But that was some ten years ago. Things change over so much time. It was obvious from all of the adults roaming around the gym. Banners were hung all over talking about some ten year reunion going on. There were tables for food and drinks, a small stage with a DJ, and a nice play area for children. Just look at how some of the people had changed.

Troy Bolton was the main man, captain of the basketball team, and secret weapon of the golf team. Not to mention star of the winter musical in his junior year. He'd gone off to Berkeley to pursue drama and basketball. Even though he looked like the same relaxed guy with messy hair, he was by no means a basketball player, teacher, or anything of the sorts. He was a walking talking psychologist. Let's be honest, Troy had more than a few problems when it came to choosing colleges and living up to the standards set for him. It was obvious his calling wasn't to train people in music or sports but rather help them with their problems.

Beside him with a little girl was Gabriella Montez, now Bolton. Everyone thought she was going to have something music related in her life, or maybe some kind of teacher. But much to everyone's surprise in high school, Gabriella had chosen the road of pre-law. No one thought she would last in it, but look at her now - she was a big time lawyer! Alright, she was more of a lawyer that helped out the little people, but she was pretty dang good at it.

Then there was Ryan Evans. Who knew what he was going to do besides act, dance, and the works? Well what do you know, he did choose the world of dance. He had on some snazzy attire promoting his newly opened dance studio just a town over from Albuquerque. But then there was his hat that had the signature Evans logo on it. Everyone knew Ryan loved hats, but they never thought he'd make a career out of it. No, he wasn't the one designing hats - he was selling them in his own hat emporium...type place. Yeah, no one had gotten many details on it yet.

Drinking a nice cold glass of iced tea next to him was his sister Sharpay Evans. Her clothes had just as much a signature Evans logo as Ryan's hat. Sharpay was the one most likely to be a Broadway star, and one of the many candidates for best voice. And nicest hair. And best smile. Alright, she was nominated for a lot of things in senior year. But even then, she was quite fashionable. So she wasn't a Broadway sensation, oh no...she was a fashion designer. And she didn't hesitate to flaunt any of her style. The girl had it going on.

Now entering the gym was two little kids...who didn't attend the high school but were rather followed by their parents. First was Taylor McKessie, now Danforth. Voted most likely to succeed and nominated to change the world in senior year. Everyone expected her to become the next president of the United States - when she came of age, of course. Let's be realistic, there is an age limit to run for president. But even though she showed some signs of being a businesswoman such as a clip-on tie, the last thing she was, was a president. In fact she was an investor and an assistant principal. It was no secret that Taylor loved school, but not even her own husband thought that she would be back in one until retirement.

Speaking of which, that's exactly who was trying to keep up with the kids. Everyone knew Chad by his bushy hair and he was co-captain of the basketball team as well as captain of the baseball team. Basketball had been Chad's dream since forever and he let everyone know it. There wasn't a year where he didn't go around not carrying a basketball in his arm. But he wasn't a professional player, a coach, not even a physical education teacher. He was just a plain old teacher. A kindergarten one, to be exact. But even that shouldn't come as a shock. Chad was a kid at heart always goofing off. He had a natural charm when it came to kids. So maybe his odd career actually fit him after all.

People always knew that Troy and Gabriella would end up together, but even though Chad and Taylor hit it off the first time they went out, no one expected them to last. It's a funny story with them, actually. They were total opposites and yet they fit together perfectly. They loved each other for what they were. Loving someone meant accepting them even with all their flaws. It used to be that some girls were turned off by Chad's egotistical side. But Taylor had come to love that side of him - when he wasn't overdoing it - and somehow managed to tone it down with him. And Taylor was the most stubborn person anyone had ever met. It was a miracle how Chad handled her and how quickly he could get her to change her mind sometimes. But since that first date of theirs they practically grew together. And another thing that love meant was standing by someone no matter what. So to almost everyone there it was a shock that for ten years Chad and Taylor had been able to stay together and be so strong, let alone seem to have such a healthy relationship.

_Love_

_It seems like only yesterday_

_You were just a child at play_

"Whoa, Chad-man!" Troy called as soon as he saw his old friend. "Been pretty busy huh?" he joked.

Chad chuckled and nudged him, knowing Troy was referring to the kids in front of them. "Shut up man. They're twins."

Gabriella squealed with delight. "Aw, they're adorable!"

The twins smiled politely, not looking any older than six. The little Bolton girl standing by them put on a nice sweet face just like her mother's, being just a year or so older than the twins.

"But I'm adorabler." she smiled, so used to being center of attention as an only child.

"Of course you are." Gabriella told her.

"wow, and they're not running around and breaking anything yet." Troy chuckled. "Definitely didn't take after Chad." He glanced at the young boy who had bushy hair just like Chad's. "Ok, maybe he did."

Chad chuckled in agreement, but the boy didn't think it so funny. He ran right to his mother and clutched her skirt.

"Or...maybe he's a mama's boy." Troy observed.

"Don't mind Nathan. He's just shy." Taylor told him as she scooped up the curly-haired boy.

Chad knelt down to the girl beside him. "Hazel how about you go play with Mystic in the kiddie corner they have set up here?"

"Ok Daddy." she nodded eagerly. She tugged Mystic by the arm. "C'mon Misty, let's go play."

"I race you there." Mystic replied before the two giggly girls ran off.

"Nate, do you want to go play with them?" Taylor asked.

Nathan shook his head rapidly and just clung onto her. "I stay here."

"I don't know, we're gonna be talking a lot of grown-up talk." Troy told him.

Chad glanced at his son, "You can stay if you'll be a good boy. Ok?"

"Uh-huh." Nathan nodded right away.

Chad smiled and rubbed Nathan's head. "Good boy." He turned back to Troy. "See? He's behaving already."

"Oh yeah, cause little Hazel's the trouble maker." Troy joked.

"She is." Chad and Taylor replied in unison.

Troy stopped laughing in an instant. "Oh...."

"Well Nathan may have Chad's looks but he sure didn't get many other of his genes." Taylor stated.

"When they start school, we've already got parent-teacher nights figured out." Chad added. "I'm going to be the one explaining why Hazel's gonna be acting up or getting detentions or hitting people with basketballs..."

"She hit another child with a ball?" Gabriella gasped.

"No actually, she threw one at me and it landed on my head." Chad replied as he ran his hand through his hair. "Don't worry, my hair stopped the concussion."

Troy laughed, "I don't think I'll ever understand you two. I'm surprised sometimes you can live with each other. How do you live with two mini yous?"

"Piece of cake." Chad shook his head as he put his arm around Taylor, acting as if family life was no big deal. "I've got the perfect woman keeping them in control."

"Well that may be so, but I've got someone better tiring them out before bedtime." Taylor added.

"What, you do?" Chad gasped, snapping his head towards his wife. "Who is he?"

Troy and Gabriella tried their best to suppress their laughter while Taylor shot Chad a look that said, 'oh you know who I'm talking about so stop playing dumb'.

"Oh wait, that's me." Chad realized after a few more seconds.

"Wow Danforth," Sharpay said as she walked on by the group, "That may be the stupidest thing I've heard you say in years."

"Hey!" Chad gasped at the blond.

Taylor smiled and rolled her eyes. "He may be stupid sometimes, but I love him for it anyway."

_Now you're all grown up inside of me_

_Oh, how fast these moments flee_

While Troy and Chad went off their own way talking sports and whatnot, Taylor and Gabriella headed over to pick up a drink.

"We haven't even talked in almost a year have we?" Gabriella realized.

"This school year's been hectic." Taylor said as she took a sip of some water. "I didn't even have a moment of free time. Had to stick around during summer school to help teachers with the real trouble makers that were failing."

"I can't say my job's been a breeze either." Gabriella admitted. "Case after case...there's been so many problems down in Florida lately and apparently now I'm the best lawyer in town."

"And the cheapest?" Taylor joked.

"Well look at you with your sense of humor." Gabriella giggled.

"I guess Chad rubbed off on me more than I thought after all this time." Taylor laughed.

"How have things really been going with you guys anyway?" she inquired.

"Really good." Taylor answered as she let a pleading Nathan have some of her drink. "Three biggest problems we've had to settle were what color to repaint our room, what the best dishwasher is to get, and who's doing which chores. He always pulls his act with me to do the laundry and I always trick him into doing the lawn."

"Perfect life much?" Gabriella teased playfully.

"I could ask the same of you and Troy." she replied.

"We haven't had as much time together as we wanted because of all our work." Gabriella answered. "But as soon as things calm down, we're going to try for child number two."

"Think Mystic can handle that?" Taylor asked.

"It's Troy's fault. He spoils her too much." Gabriella laughed right away.

"Hello ladies." a smooth talking Chad said as he picked up some chips from the bowl.

"Must be my cue to leave you two alone." Gabriella giggled as she headed back towards Troy.

Chad smiled and turned to Taylor. "So we're at this party and I decided to make sure that you're here with me."

"I don't know," Taylor replied innocently, "my husband would be awfully mad if he saw me with some other man."

"But that is Daddy." Nathan told Taylor.

"When the kid's right, he's right." Chad chuckled. "So what can I do to win over a dance?"

Taylor thought for a minute, still sort of playing an innocent game. "How about you hold onto Nathan while I visit the little girl's room?"

"Consider it done." Chad replied. "But remember, I'll be waiting to make sure you don't hook up with another guy."

"You are such a player." she told him before handing over Nathan. She smiled at him, then headed out of them.

Nathan looked at Chad confused. "What was goin on?"

Chad chuckled. "Just mommy and daddy stuff."

_Once we watched a lazy world go by_

_Now the days seem to fly_

Taylor walked back into the gym about five minutes later only to run into a guy who seemed to be stalking her.

"Excuse me, I need to get through." she told him.

"But I know you, girl." he replied even though something about him made Taylor think he was drunk.

"I'm sure you do..." she replied somewhat uneasily, still trying to get through.

"We went to the same school. We went here. I asked you out five times." he replied.

Of course how could Taylor forget? She only knew him as Tim, and had absolutely no interest in going out with him. It looked like even now he wasn't willing to give up.

"And the answer is still no. I've got somewhere to be now." Taylor replied.

"C'mon, just one date." he insisted grabbing her by the arm. "I know this really schmoozy place. It's called Make Out Point and all the couples...dude they all get to sit in their cars and watch the view and you know, make out."

Taylor shuddered at the thought. "I'm seriously going to have to pass on that."

Luckily Nathan ran over to them before the guy could try to change her mind. "Mommy, mommy," Nathan said as he tugged on her skirt again. "Daddy wants to ask you something."

"Wait...Daddy?" the guy asked.

Taylor paid no attention to him and turned to her son. "What is it, honey?"

"Daddy wanted me to ask you if you wanted to dance with him." Nathan replied.

Some people may have thought that was weak, sending in a little kid to ask someone something like that. But Taylor smiled, thinking it was just cute. If there was one part of Chad Nathan got aside from his looks, it was his charm.

"I'd be delighted." she answered as she and Nathan headed over to Chad in the crowd, leaving the guy in the dust. But before Chad and Taylor even got to share a dance, a sporty looking man in his fifty's approached them. Way to interrupt the moment.

"Hey partner, ain't you Chad Danforth?" he asked.

Chad raised an eyebrow and looked at the man. "Yes I am." he nodded. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm in town scouting new talent for the New York Knicks. Been travelin a few different places and haven't found anyone yet. I know your old principal here. He told me some dog-gone good things about you and Troy Bolton. I wanna see what you boys are made of."

"So what exactly do you want us to do?" Chad asked.

"There's a pretty darn good basketball court out by the track. I wanna see a nice clean game between you and Bolton. Maybe one of you's got what I'm lookin for in a player. How's a nice ten point game sound right about now?"

Chad's eyes widened. "Really? Now?" he asked.

"Darn tootin." the man replied.

Chad seemed almost speechless at first. "Well I'd love to, but see..."

He didn't even get to finish because Taylor turned to him. "You head on out there. Nathan and I will get Hazel and we'll meet you at the court."

Chad glanced at Taylor. "You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure." she nodded. "When was the last time you even had a chance to play with Troy? Go out there and have some fun. We'll be cheering you on."

Chad nodded, knowing better than to say no to her. He smiled and pecked her on the lips. "As long as I've got you guys out there with me there's no way I can lose."

_Life is brief, but when it's gone_

_Love goes on and on_

Needless to say, the game lasted quite a while. It wasn't long before everyone left the gym just to watch Troy and Chad play. Being that Troy's dad was the coach, Troy got much more practice in than Chad when they were in school so it was only natural that Troy got an easy lead. But Chad was a player of spunk and determination. Every time Troy made a shot, Chad made one of his own in an instant. It was obvious that the talent scout saw a lot of potential in both the men. He didn't seem to divert his attention anywhere else throughout the entire game. Mystic and Hazel weren't exactly basketball players - at least not yet - but that didn't stop them from cheering their dad's on and having the occasional argument over who would win. And for a game to only go to ten points each, it went on for well over an hour. Even though these two didn't really have basketball as a career, it was obvious they had still spent time practicing. By the time the game finally did end, everyone was chanting Troy's name.

"Lost by one point, as usual." Chad shrugged as he walked over to his family.

"You still played a great game." Taylor told him loyally. "And you looked like you were having the time of your life out there."

"I was." Chad nodded with a smile. "Troy and I haven't played a game like that in years."

Hazel tugged at Chad's sleeve. "Daddy teach me how to ball play."

"As soon as we get home, kiddo." he told her.

"Well now that was some darn tootin good playin."

They turned to see the talent scout already approaching them.

"You put on quite a show there, Danforth." he said.

"Thank you." Chad replied. "It would've been nice to win, but I had a blast."

"Sure as heck looked like it. You're one heck of a player." he replied. "Ever consider playing pro ball?"

Chad was about to answer, but Taylor couldn't help but giggle as she interfered.

"Are you kidding?" she replied. "It's been his dream since he could talk."

Chad shot her a look.

"Well that's what your dad always said." she replied.

"Well it looks like all that dreamin's payin off." the talent scout said. "How'd you like to play for the Knicks? I can make a few calls, get the coach and manager to watch you themselves, and bada-bing, bada-boom."

Chad's eyes widened. "What?" he gasped.

"Darn tootin. You'll be travelin all round the globe, goin to the NBA, playing against players like Kobe Bryant and LeBrone James. Well if they ain't on your team, anyway." the talent scout laughed. "I see a bright future ahead for you, Danforth."

"Wow..." Chad breathed, obviously speechless. "That's...that's really great."

"Are you offering Troy the same thing?" Taylor inquired.

"Heck yeah. I ain't lettin two good ball players go to waste in one day. The boss'll have my head for that, missy." he answered.

"Wow...this is just..." again with Chad beign speechless.

"Tell ya what, how bout I go talk with Bolton over there and see what he says. I can get you two together and see if I can offer y'all somethin good." he suggested.

Chad nodded, unable to do too much else. "Yeah. Yeah, that'd be great."

The talent scout tipped his hat and then made his way to Troy and Gabriella.

Taylor smiled widely and turned to her husband. "Chad that's amazing. You've got someone recruiting you for the NBA. It's what you've always wanted."

Chad ran a hand through his hair. "I know...I know.... I can't believe it."

"I'm really proud of you." Taylor told him.

"Thanks Tay." he replied. "I wasn't even expecting any offers. I just thought it'd be some guy watching Troy and me play."

"Well it really worked out." she said.

"Hey." a voice called, which turned out to be Ryan walking over with Mystic. "Misty wanted to go to the park but Troy's got a meeting with that basketball fanatic over there." he explained, pointing to Troy and Gabriella talking with the talent scout. "I offered to take Misty for them. Do Hazel and Nathan wanna come, too?"

"And get ice cream?" Mystic added excitedly.

Hazel's eyes lit up in an instant. "Can I go? Can I? Can I? Can I?" she asked eagerly.

"I don't see why not." Taylor replied. She glanced at Nathan. "Do you want to go too, Nate? They're going to get ice cream."

"I no know..." he said uneasily.

"C'mon, it be fun!" Mystic exclaimed. "We play on swings, and in sandybox, and on the slide, and chase squirrels..."

"And...and maybe..." Hazel added, "we can find chalk and color on the streets!"

"What do you say, Nate? You like that." Taylor said.

"Ok." Nathan nodded, getting a little more into the idea.

"Great." Ryan grinned. "I'll have them back in an hour with minimal to no injuries." he joked. He took the three kids and they were off.

_Love will love_

_Love will last_

Taylor giggled before turning back to Chad. "Now honey why do you still look so stunned? They're just going to the park."

"No, no, it's not that." Chad shook his head.

"Then what is it?" she asked.

Chad ran his fingers through his hair again. "I might be getting an offer to play professional basketball. It's like a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"It's your big break. You've been waiting for this your whole life." she said.

"I know. I know." he nodded. "It's just..."

"Just that what?" she asked.

Chad took a deep breath before answering, knowing Taylor wouldn't like his answer. "I don't think I should go for it."

"What?" Taylor gasped. "Without even hearing him out?"

"Yeah." he nodded.

Taylor put her hands on her hips. "Chad, that's ridiculous. I mean of course, hear what he has to offer first, but why say no even before hearing him out?"

"I already have a job. I've got a family to look after." Chad replied.

"Don't you dare let any of that hold you back." she scolded. "People change careers all the time. And don't even think about letting any of us hold you back. This is your dream we're talking about."

"A dream that's going to involve a lot of traveling. Which means I'll hardly ever be home." he replied.

Now that was something Taylor hadn't thought of. She stayed silent for a minute. "Do you want my honest opinion?"

"Honest opinions are good." Chad nodded.

She took a deep breath, "I think you should go for it."

"What?" he asked, obviously shocked at her response.

"Forget the fact that it probably pays way more than a teacher's salary. Forget about all the traveling. What you should remember is that it's your dream. You've always talked about playing for the NBA aside some of the best players. And now you have the chance." Taylor explained. "Don't worry about me or the kids. We'll be fine. I'm sure with games that are in town or in one of the surrounding states we can come and see you play. All I'll ask is that you always call when you get to a new place or when you're boarding a plane or when you possibly have free time. And we'll always watch you on ESPN. But this is opportunity knocking. No, forget knocking, it's banging the door down. For you. And if you're happy, then we're happy. So I say go for it."

Chad was silent as he thought everything over.

"Hey partner!" the talent scout called, turning Chad's attention over to him. "Me and Bolton are gonna talk some basketball over coffee at Starbucks. I'm buyin and don't try to stop me. I got offers for the both of you and I ain't leavin this place empty-handed. You comin or what?"

Chad turned back to Taylor.

"Go." she told him. "I'll catch up with some of the others here. Let me know how it goes."

"Ok." he nodded. He gave her a passionate kiss before heading out with Troy and the talent scout, knowing that if he would take any deals or offers then this would have been one of the last chances he got for alone time with Taylor.

_Love goes on_

_And on and on_

A good few more hours had passed and the sun had already set in Albuquerque. Troy and Chad must have been talking some hot talk with that talent scout. Either that, or trying to get a good offer out of him or see what would be up with the deals. Taylor had already put the twins to bed and was now sitting in her room flipping channels on TV, as though she were trying to distract herself. When she saw nothing of interest, she shut the TV off and tossed the remote to the side. She then pulled out her wallet and flipped through some pictures of Chad and their family she kept in there. There were so many pictures with so many memories in there, time seemed to just fly by.

There was a picture of them on their first date. Taylor had just been trying to make a nice post for it while Chad was making a funny face. Mission accomplished on that part, because it got Taylor giggling just staring at it.

There were plenty of pictures of them the summer before their senior year when they were working at the country club and when they were out on dates. And then there was a couple of pictures of them at prom. The memories of dancing the night away came flooding back to her. All that time they spent together, and now if Chad decided to go along with this new gig there wouldn't be much time anymore. Time would be a luxury that they'd barely have any of. Sure, it was just as complicated when they went to college, but it was so much easier to work out than this would be.

Taylor reached the more recent pictures. There were plenty of snapshots of the twins and, in most of them, Chad had found a way to sneak into the picture. They each had pictures tracking every important part of the twins' lives. Their first Christmas, when they learned to ride trikes, family vacations, time with their grandparents.... Where was Chad going to be through all their other exciting firsts? Where would he be when the kids would start elementary school? When they'd go from trikes to bikes? Their first movie? Birthdays? Holidays?

Of course Chad would find a way to make all those things, there was no doubt. But there was only one good reason why Taylor would let him go through with this, even try to convince him to take the deal: it was because she loved him.

_Once we watched a lazy world go by_

_Now the days seem to fly_

Taylor turned her head when she heard the door open. In almost an instant, she saw Chad poke his head into the room.

"I'm home." he said.

"Hey, welcome back." she greeted as she got off the bed. "You missed the rest of the reunion. Sharpay practically got all us girls to put on a fashion show in the auditorium and 'strut our stuff'."

"Aw, and you had a perfectly hot new dress for that, too." Chad chuckled. "I missed the chance of a lifetime."

"The meeting must have gone well if you're a bubble of laughter already." she observed.

"Actually, it did." Chad nodded. He glanced around, "Kids in bed already?"

"Yeah. They were really tired out from the park." Taylor nodded. "Ryan said they had a blast. They really want to see Mystic again before they all go back to Florida."

"I'll make sure to call Troy tomorrow and tell him we all wanna do something while they're still in town." he replied.

"So how did the meeting go, anyway?" Taylor asked, easily changing the subject.

"But I just got back. No hello kiss or anything?" Chad whined playfully.

Taylor rolled her eyes and smiled. "Oh alright." she giggled before pecking him on the lips. "So now tell me how it went."

"You must really want me to get lost." Chad joked as he sat down on the bed.

"Not in a million years." she folded her arms. "You must have had a really good meeting for it to go past the three hour mark."

"I guess I didn't realize the time." Chad admitted. "No wonder he wanted to buy me and Troy dinner while we were all talking."

"What did he have to tell you about those offers?" Taylor inquired.

Chad placed his hands in his lap. "He just started out with the basics. You know, usual training schedules, traveling schedules, an idea of how the coach works us, benefits, payments..."

"So what's first on the list?" she asked.

"Well as far as traveling goes, it's gonna be hectic. As soon as we finish one game we're practically on the road or on the plane to the next town. We're told in advanced how many days we get off in between games, of course." he started.

"So in an average, you could go to seven different states in one week. More if you include the states you fly over." Taylor estimated.

"I guess so. I didn't really work those numbers out." Chad admitted. "The talent scout suggested living some place nearby, you know preferably New York or one of the surrounding states. But preferably New York."

"Way on the East Coast." Taylor nodded.

"I didn't think that would be fair though. I mean with the kids starting school soon and with your job..." he started.

"I'm sure we could work something out. I could always look into retail and see if we could get any good places for a decent price." Taylor replied right away.

"And the coach is a hard worker, but he treats the team right. Real supportive, good player..." Chad continued.

"I'm listening." Taylor nodded.

"And of course, the paychecks..." he stated.

"How much?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"How about I write it down for you." Chad suggested, picking up a pen and a piece of paper. "I mean, it's just an estimate, but it's still a lot of cash." He then handed the paper to Taylor.

As soon as Taylor looked at the paper, her eyes widened. "Whoa, that's a lot of zeroes."

"I know." Chad nodded.

Taylor stared at it a little longer before looking back at Chad. "And you said...?"

Chad smiled lightly and stood up. He faced Taylor and took her hands in his. "You know I don't do anything without consulting you first."

"And we already consulted before you went to the meeting." she answered. "Any idea if Troy is taking the offer?"

"He's on the fence about it. But I think he's leaning towards a yes." Chad replied. "No surprise there, I guess."

Now came the big question. "And you said...?" she asked again.

Chad took a deep breath before giving her his response. "I said no thanks."

_Life is brief, but when it's gone_

Taylor blinked with surprise. "You turned them down?"

"I turned them flat down." he answered.

"What did you do that for?" she sighed heavily. "It's what you've been wanting all your life."

"I know you want what's best for me, and I know you just want me to be happy. But here's the thing..." he explained, "...I've already got a dream job. I can spend the entire day goofing off with kids. I can teach them little things that they'll remember all their lives. Half the time it doesn't even feel like a job. Yeah, it's hard work, but then again basketball would be the same thing. I'm not as hip or active as I used to be." Then he added in an old man's voice in a joking tone, "I'm getting old you know."

Taylor looked at him doubtfully. "Chad, you're twenty-nine. That is nowhere near old. You've barely been teaching for two years. And when we had the twins, you insisted I finish school first so you stayed with them until I got a job and then you went back to school. You deserve to have your day in the sun."

"But I already do." he responded. "C'mon Tay, let's face it. There's no way in heck you'd even want to go a day just being a stay at home mom. Everything I've done is because I wanted to do it. Why should this time be any different?"

She looked him dead in the eyes, most likely looking for a better answer. The stubbornness strikes again...just like it did every other night.

"Give me one good reason for you not to take the offer, aside from you may not want to." she told him.

"It's not that I might want to. I know I don't want to." Chad answered. He squeezed her hands and easily met her gaze, "And I have a life here. I have you, Hazel, and Nathan. And there is no way I'm gonna give all that up for anything."

That was enough for Taylor. Her expression softened. "you know you're giving up the opportunity of a lifetime."

"Maybe," Chad shrugged his shoulders, "but I've got everything I'll ever need right here. To be aware from you for who knows how long, I don't think I could go through with that. I love you too much."

"And the twins?" she reminded him.

"Oh yeah, them too." Chad added quickly but in a joking manner.

Taylor playfully hit him on the shoulder. "You're such a lunkhead."

"I'm your lunkhead." he chuckled as they sat down on the bed. Chad pulled Taylor into his lap and rested his forehead against hers. "Remember our first year of college? We spent practically that whole year on opposite ends of the globe. We survived that. I know we could survive more than that now. But I just don't wanna try. The only way I'm packing up and moving out of here for another job or for any reason is if martians invaded New Mexico and plotted to blow it up and we had one day to leave."

"You know there's no such things as martians." she laughed.

"And how do you know I don't have any martians with me right now?" he asked slyly.

"I'm not having any more martians! I mean...kids." she said quickly.

Chad just burst out laughing. "Sorry Tay, but you're stuck with three of them."

Taylor laughed along and lay down on the bed. "First man I ever met who actually admits to being an extra child to a household."

Chad smiled and lay down beside her, pulling the blankets over them. "We should probably get to sleep. It's been a long day."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "This is your last chance to change your mind. Because once we wake up tomorrow it'll be like your almost big break never happened today."

"I'm positive." he nodded. "Good night Tay." He kissed her on the head. "Night Chad." she replied, turning out the lights. "Love you."

Chad smiled and watched her fall asleep. "Love you too, babe." he said pulling her close. "Love you, too." Then he rested his head on top of hers and just let himself doze off to sleep, knowing there'd be plenty more waiting for them tomorrow.

_Love goes on and on_

* * *

So the song was a request from Rockyshadow. I really need to look through again and see what I'm missing. Anyway I hope you guys liked it. The song was cute so I thought something cute to go along with it. Most of the action probably happened towards the end and that may be where it fit the song best, but I couldn't figure out how to get to it any quicker. XD Anyway the next thing I'll probably have up is the trailer for my new story (yes, I am aware that stories have prologues instead but I tried my hand at making a trailer for once). But I can't promise when the first official chapter of that story will be up. And if I don't have anything up besides that in two weeks, blame it on school. That's how much time I've got left and then it's finals. I most likely will not have time to write full-length chapters. But one thing that I will have time for (also because it doesn't take up as much time as chapter writing, lol) is the Disney crossover forum I'm doing. All you guys who read my Beauty and the Beast story know what I'm talking about. Here is the link: **http :// forum. fanfiction. net/topic/52901/20545322/1/ **. Feel free to share your ideas there, and I'll go into full detail with everything on there. We'll take it one story at a time! I will post the linky again on my profile and in one of the a/n's in my story trailer. Until then, happy...um...ok just have a happy day! xD


	37. All I Want for Christmas

I have to say, I'm really excited about the reviews. Everyone seems to love the stories. I'm so happy I can make you guys happy! ^^ I guess another good reason - or a main reason lol - for me to be happy is that these musical Disney oneshots are up to 95 reviews as of the start of this chapter! It's so exciting! That means this should be my second story to get 100 reviews. ^^ Ok so the holidays are coming up, so I thought it'd be a good idea to put up a holiday chapter. I had one idea before, but that would've involved making someone a scrooge. I didn't wanna do that, that's too mean. So let's make it a holiday chapter. ^^ Everyone, enjoy and Happy Holidays to all!  
Disclaimer: I don't own HSM, the characters, or the song.

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"Deck the halls with doughs of holly, falalalalalalalala, tis the season to be jolly, falalalalalalala..."

The faint sound of singing came from the McKessie residence as Taylor hung her Christmas decorations among the living room. The tree was already up and full of ornaments and there were a few lights hanging around the house, courtesy of her father's assistance the night before. Taylor placed a few extra lights around the living room along with the smallest decorations like stuffed reindeer and a singing Santa bobblehead. As she made her way over to the fireplace, she preceded to hang up a pair of stockings. She hung hers up first, a big red fleece sock with her name written in script from a permanent marker. She moved to pick up the second stocking and took a longer look at it. It was green and only slightly bigger, obviously belonging to another member of the household. but as she read the name Chad in big capital letters on the stocking her eyes drifted towards the phone, almost as though she were waiting for something.

Taylor let out a sigh as she hung up the green stocking. She recalled the many years of her past holidays. The weekend before Christmas her sister would come to town with her husband and talk about some of the Hanukkah gifts his family members sent them. Then they would go to their parents' house and eat their mother's special turkey - special for its super secret special recipe, as Mrs. McKessie had always said. Taylor would then spend the next week seeing her friends and wishing them happy holidays, followed by as much time as possible with her fiance.

**There's more to this time of year**

**Than sleigh bells and holly**

**Mistletoe and snow**

Yup, that's who the green stocking belonged to. Ever since they had gotten engaged three years ago they have been living under the same roof. It was a casual type of love story: they met in high school, dated through college, and eventually got engaged. nothing too extraordinary about it. They were happy and that was all that mattered. But engagements didn't normally last this long. The reason being because Chad was never home. He was in the army so he spent most of the year in Iraq. There were very few times that he was able to come home. Taylor was lucky to even get a phone call from him sometimes. Most of their communicating consisted of letters. Yes, it was nice, but it wasn't the same as seeing him or even hearing his voice.

But this was the one time of the year when Taylor was always assured that she could see Chad. Every year for the holidays for two weeks he would be able to come home. For two whole weeks it would just be about them. Alright, they'd take a couple of days to see their friends and family, but other than that all they wanted to do was spend time together and just see each other. Taylor had always asked Chad about finding a job closer to him where he wouldn't have to travel so much and be in danger, but he hadn't given in yet.

So now all she could do was wait patiently for his call. It was only a matter of time now before she found out when he'd be coming home. But at least he'd be there for Christmas.

**Those things come and go**

**Much deeper than snow**

**Stronger than the strongest love we'll know**

**We'll ever know**

As soon as the phone started ringing, Tayor didn't hesitate to pick it up.

"Hello?" she answered eagerly, expecting Chad's voice on the other line.

"Hello," a heavy Italian voice answered on the other line, "somebody order a cranberry pudding pie?"

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "What? No. There's no such thing as cranberry pudding pie."

"Sure there is. I make it myself." the Italian voice answered.

"Well you've got the wrong number." Taylor insisted. "I like cranberries, I like pudding, and I like pie, but not all in the same dish."

"Everybody love cranberry pudding pie! Try it, you love it!" he exclaimed.

"You have the wrong number" she said. "Look I'm waiting for a very important call."

"Ah, it be from a young boy?" he replied.

Taylor was getting suspicious now. "That depends. What do you know about him?"

"Oh nothing, nothing at all." was the response. "I sure he's a very lucky guy. He must be very good looking."

Taylor smirked, knowing exactly what was going on. "Oh yes, he's very attractive."

"And I bet he play some kind of ball."

"Well he was MVP of varsity basketball in high school."

"And he funny?"

"Oh yes, he's very funny. But he's not funny when he plays tricks on me. Chad!"

The heavy accent faded and turned completely to laughing. It wasn't long until Taylor heard nothing but laughing in the receiver.

**As long as there's Christmas ****I truly believe**

**That hope is the greatest of the gifts we'll receive**

**As long as there's Christmas we'll all be just fine**

**A star shines above us lighting your**

**Way and mine**

"I can't believe you almost fell for that." Chad laughed.

Taylor smiled and rolled her eyes. Even thousands of miles away Chad had never lost his sense of humor.

"Alright Danforth, you got me. Don't try to trick me like that when I'm waiting for your call."

"I'm sorry babe, I just couldn't resist." Chad apologized.

"Because I'm so easy?" Taylor finished for him knowingly.

Chad knew better than to agree so quickly...even if it was true. "Sometimes..."

"How is it over there?" she inquired, easily changing the subject.

"Oh you know...as good as any war can get." Chad answered, though there was some hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"I really don't like the thought of you being out there all the time." she confided, although Chad had heard it all too many times. "Every time there's a knock in the door I almost think..."

"Have a little more faith in me. I'm fine out here." he promised.

"I'm just worried, that's all." Taylor admitted.

"I know." he nodded. Chad took a long pause before confiding himself, "...I am sometimes, too."

Taylor bit her tongue momentarily, trying not to turn it into another conversation when she would ask him if it weer possible to find a better job closer to home. Luckily she changed the subject just as easily.

"So did you find out when you're coming home yet?"

"The Sargent told me I wouldn't be hearing anything for about a week." Chad answered.

"Christmas is this month, Chad. It's in less than three weeks. You always come home for the holidays." she replied.

"And this year isn't gonna be any different." he promised. "I'm coming home. I just don't know when yet."

"I really miss you." she said, fighting the urge to fiddle with her engagement ring.

"I miss you, too." Chad replied.

Taylor sighed. "So when am I going to hear from you again?"

"Hopefully by next week." he answered. "As soon as I get the go to go, I'm taking the next ride back to New Mexico."

"I'll be waiting." she said.

"I know." Chad nodded.

**Just as long as there's Christmas**

**There will be Christmas pudding**

**Tons of turkey**

Preparations continued to be made for the holidays. Taylor went about her business as she usually did every December. She had gotten a call from Chad's friend Troy at one point inviting her over. Taylor agreed, knowing she could only go so long being alone in a house. She packed up some Christmas cookies she had brought from the store, along with some spare ornaments for the Boltons, and made her way to Troy's. As soon as he opened the door upon her arrival, they greeted each other with a quick hug before bringing everything into the house.

"Gabriella's not here tonight?" Taylor inquired, looking around the seemingly empty house.

"No." Troy shook his head. "There was some big last minute scam at the courthouse in Santa Fe. Apparently Gabriella needed to take a business trip there. Leaving me all alone."

"What about your dog?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Ben's at the kennel. He's getting over some kind of ear infection." Troy answered. "I don't think I'll ever understand how you can have one big house all to yourself and be happy."

"I don't and I'm not." she replied. "I've been spending the majority of my holiday time this month watching Christmas cartoons and putting on fifty too many decorations around the house."

"Even in the bathroom?" Troy chuckled.

"No!" she gasped.

Troy folded his arms and looked at her suspiciously.

"Well maybe just one..." Taylor muttered.

"Knew it." he chuckled again.

"Well something has to fill the void of Chad not being around. It might as well deal with a sense of humor." Taylor defended.

Troy sat down on the couch and snuck a cookie from the plate. "Any word from him yet?"

"Just a two minute conversation." she admitted. "He usually knows by now when he's coming home."

"And he knows nothing?" Troy guessed.

"Pretty much." Taylor shrugged her shoulders.

Troy nodded and took a bigger bite out of the cookie. There was silence between the friends, aside from Troy's rather loud chewing.

**And cranb'ry sauce**

**And mince pies if we're good**

Taylor folded her arms and stared at Troy in an annoyed manner. "How can you just sit there being so nonchalant?"

Troy chuckled. Anyone should have known that was going to be Taylor's reaction to something.

"Because I know Chad. He may have the hair of cotton candy, but he's a tough guy. He doesn't need babying all the time."

Taylor sat down next to Troy. "Is it so wrong just to want him home?"

"Not at all." he shrugged his shoulders. "i got an email from Gabriella yesterday saying there's a chance she may not even be home for Christmas. Nwe Years, though probably."

"So what do you think of that?" Taylor inquired.

"I've never spent one Christmas without Gabriella. Except that year I had the mumps." he answered. "If she can make it back by then somehow, then great. But I get how it works. sometimes cases get so out of hand that it takes longer to work them out then you think. And then something else comes up, pretty soon she's gone for a month."

"Do you know what you're going to do on Christmas without her?" she wondered.

"At this point I'll probably just visit my parents. Maybe drop by my cousin's to annoy him." Troy replied. "The important thing is being around people I care about."

"Well the holidays are meant to bring people together." Taylor said as she reached for a cookie as well. "Even if they are thousands of miles apart."

"So what's the problem?" Troy inquired, knowing exactly what was bothering her.

She sighed before responding. "I have a photographic memory. I can remember everything I did every Christmas. But when I met Chad and spent my first Christmas with him, I couldn't remember any other holiday. Sometimes I could barely even remember bringing in the new year without him. Something's always missing without him."

"I bet you're not the only one thinking that." he stated.

Taylor glanced at him knowingly. "His family."

Troy nodded. "You gonna pay them a visit?"

"I was planning to go over the weekend. But it couldn't hurt to go sooner." she answered.

"Great." Troy clapped his hands. "And be sure to tell Mrs. Danforth I'll bring her back that leaf blower next year. I'll go get dinner ready."

Taylor quirked an eyebrow. Her eyes followed every one of Troy's steps. She could have asked what he was doing with the Danforth's leaf blower in the middle of December, but she decided against it.

"What is for dinner anyway?"

Troy shrugged his shoulders and looked over at her as he opened the fridge. "What did you think was for dinner?"

Taylor scrunched her nose, "Just as long as it's not cranberry pudding pie."

**Loads of logs on the fire**

**Lots of gifts on the tree**

**All wrapped in red ribbons**

**Wonder if there's one for me**

"Taylor! Come in, come in!"

Taylor giggled faintly at Mrs. Danforth's enthusiasm as she led her into the living room. She always felt so welcomed into the household. But more importantly, it was a constant reminder of where Chad got his sense of humor from. It helped to fill the void just a little.

"He Ma." she greeted.

"How's planning for the holidays going?" Mrs. Danforth asked as she closed the door.

"Same old, same old." Taylor responded.

"How are your parents?" she wondered.

"They're great. Mom and Dad actually took a flight to Hawaii to celebrate the holidays. They send their love." Taylor answered.

"Make sure you tell them to take a lot of pictures." Mrs. Danforth said. "Now stop standing by the door and make yourself at home. Sit on the couch. Have some cocoa. Turn on The Santa Clause."

Taylor laughed lightly. It was never a good idea to argue with someone as quirky as her soon to be mother-in-law.

"whatever you say, Ma."

"The girls should be down shortly. They're getting a head start on some of their homework for the winter break." Mrs. Danforth said, referring to Chad's sisters.

"Oh, is Alana going to study abroad this winter?" Taylor inquired.

"Yes, she's working on her Italiano." Mrs. Danforth replied with a thick accent. "And Sarah's got a lot of AP homework to do."

"Oh right, Baby's a junior isn't she?" Taylor recalled. Being the youngest of the Danforth clan, Sarah Danforth had always been best known as Baby Danforth. Taylor had actually come up with the nickname, still remembering Baby before she could walk.

Mrs. Danforth nodded. "And Alana's in Grad School right now. I swear, those two take after you too much. I'd almost think they're not my own kids sometimes."

Taylor laughed. "I hope they're yours because I'd think I'd remember having children like them."

"Speaking of children, have you heard from my other one? About six foot, dark skin, curly hair..." Mrs. Danforth replied.

"He doesn't know when he's coming home yet." Taylor sighed.

"Well I'm sure he'll be home soon. I know my boy and he's not gonna give up until they let him have his two weeks." she said. "I'm almost hoping he comes home later than usual this year."

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"His Christmas gift isn't coming until February." she answered.

Either Mrs. Danforth was really good at hiding something, or she had to be joking. "What's his gift?" Taylor wondered.

Mrs. Danforth laughed. "If I tell you I might as well tell the whole world. Nice try, Missy."

Yup, she was definitely hiding something.

**We're due for a party**

**Where on earth do we start?**

**I may wear my tiara**

**You brought me in Monmartre**

"Taylor!"

Taylor turned her head to see Baby Danforth running down the stairs. With the signature curly locks, it was easy to tell she was Chad's sister.

"Hey Baby." Taylor smiled, pulling her into a hug. "How's junior year?"

"It'd be more fun if they gave us more homework. After I'm done with AP US History I'll have nothing to do." she complained.

And that was the kind of thing that made people doubt she was a Danforth.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out." Taylor promised.

"Chad told me that too, but then he had to go. I can't wait to see him." she replied.

"I can't either." Taylor agreed.

"Remember, the fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach." Mrs. Danforth reminded them. "So the second he walks in your door make sure you have the biggest turkey you've got ready. With a glass of eggnog. And some chocolate pudding."

"I'm on it." Taylor nodded before turning back to Baby. "Is Alana coming down, too?"

She shook her head. "I tried getting her down but she keeps listening to Italian stuff over and over again. I think she's basting her earphones so she can't hear me." Baby looked over at her mother.

Mrs. Danforth noticed this and replied with a shake of her head. "She didn't get that from my side of the family."

Taylor giggled. "I'll go see if I can get her down." she offered before heading up the stairs.

Once she was out of earshot, Baby went over to Mrs. Danforth. "Can I tell her yet? Can I? Can I?" she whispered eagerly.

"Sh." Mrs. Danforth hushed. "It's supposed to be a surprise. Let Chad call her first and then she can find out on her own. We don't want to give anything away."

Not want to give anything away? Year right. Baby put her hands on her hips. "Mommy I hate to break it to you, but I'm not the one screeching with excitement in her ear."

**All the silver will sparkle**

**And the china will gleam**

Before anyone knew it, it was a week before Christmas. Taylor continued going about her business as though everything was the same as it was every year. She was assuming that Chad was going to send her a message at any time saying when he'd be home. She was cleaning her dishes and making sure that she had everything to prepare Christmas dinner. She was on the last china dish when she heard the phone ringing. Practically dropping the dish and the towel, she ran to grab the phone on the last ring, hoping that if it was Chad she didn't miss it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Tay." the voice on the other line said.

Taylor held in a sigh of relief hearing Chad's voice. "I've been waiting for you to call. What took so long?"

"I'm sorry, it's been such a madhouse over here." he apologized.

"It's alright." she said. "Just as long as you're coming home. Tell me when to be at the airport by. This weekend? Monday? Tuesday?"

Chad's voice seemed to fade. "It's not actually gonna be that soon."

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Well it's not Christmas Eve, is it?" she asked. "The roads are going to be packed, anyplace I walk into is going to be a madhouse, there's a chance it might snow that night..."

"It's not Christmas Eve either." he replied.

Taylor was getting worried now, though she didn't want Chad to hear the concern in her voice.

"Well you are going to be home for Christmas aren't you?"

"Not exactly..." he said slowly.

Ouch. Taylor wasn't liking where this was going. "You're making it sound like you're not coming home at all."

There was silence after that. Taylor waited for Chad's voice to reassure her that he would be home before she knew it, that there was nothing to worry about.

"Chad?" she asked softly.

"I just don't know, Tay." he sighed.

Taylor tried to contain herself as she felt for the couch before nearly collapsing on it. She looked over at the tree and saw her one gift to Chad underneath it. She couldn't imagine waking up Christmas morning without a second present under there, let alone Chad himself. She sighed and bit her lower lip before leaning back on the couch.

"Are you sure there's no way?"

"I tried. They're not letting me go." Chad answered. "I'm so sorry, Tay-Tay."

She nodded. "I know you are. It's not your fault. It's just..."

Knowing she wasn't liking the news at all, Chad tried to change it around. "Do you believe in Christmas wishes?"

"Chad don't turn this into a child's cartoon. Rudolph the red-nose genie isn't going to come out of his lamp and give me three wishes this year." she shook her head.

"I'm not." he said. "What's your Christmas wish?"

"What?" Taylor replied, rubbing her eye.

"Tell me your Christmas wish." Chad told her.

Now he should know what it is by now. "I wish there were some way you could come home for Christmas." Or forever, she added to herself.

"Well my Christmas wish is to get out of this rat hole and spend the holidays with you." Chad said. "And when I say rat hole, I mean rat hole. They keep coming out and stealing our leftovers."

It was enough to get a small laugh out of Taylor.

"That's what I was going for." Chad said, hearing her laugh. He sounded like he was going to say more, but then there was the sound of faint talking in the background. Once it faded, Chad sighed. "I'm sorry Tay. I gotta go now."

Taylor nodded. As much as she wanted to stay on the phone with him longer, she knew he had a job to do.

"I understand."

"I'll talk to you soon." Chad promised. "I love you."

"Love you, too." she replied before reluctantly hanging up.

**And we'll all be as shiny**

**As a brand-new centime**

**After dinner we'll play games**

**Till the morning breaks through**

It had been so difficult for the next week knowing Chad wouldn't be home. Taylor tried to make the most of it. She had contacted the Danforth clan and they said they already heard. Somehow they didn't seem as down about it as Taylor did. Normally she would be suspicious about that but she just hadn't been in the mood to figure them on. She then went on to contact Troy, she he offered to spend Christmas Day with Taylor, urging her to watch the Christmas Day Parade in Disneyland and Disneyworld with him, followed by meaningless Christmas movies all day. Taylor appreciated the effort, but decided she would spent the holiday at home. She would figure out what to do somehow. But deciding to just spend the holiday alone, something people should never do no matter what holiday they celebrate, made the time go by all the more slower.

When the sun rose on Christmas morning, out of habit, Taylor reached over to the other side of the bed expecting to feel Chad sleeping next to her. But when she had finally convinced herself to open her eyes, she saw nothing. That was right, he wasn't coming. He was still in Iraq. Stupid war taking her fiance away from her. Groaning, she forced herself out of bed and slowly made her way down the stairs. She was still contemplating how to spend her morning while all the families would be gathering around the tree together opening their gifts.

But when Taylor reached the foot of the steps, she quirked an eyebrow. Something didn't look right. She had distinctly remembered having only one gift under the tree, and that was her gift to Chad. Right next to the Christmas tree was a large purple box...practically life size. This could either be the work of a criminal mastermind or whoever was playing Santa Clause around the world this year left her something big. Taylor approached the gift cautiously, debating on whether to open it or not. She had no idea what was inside. She didn't recall writing any letters asking what she wanted for Christmas this year. She didn't hear anyone come in the middle of the night to supposedly leave the gift. She hadn't mentioned wanting something to her family or friends. What the heck could it be?

She slowly reached for the ribbon on the top and gripped it lightly. Nothing happened at first. Maybe it really was harmless. Deciding to take a chance, Taylor pulled the ribbon and it fell off in an instant, along with the side of the box facing her.

**Then we'll meet in the garden**

**This is what we shall do**

Taylor nearly squeaked an jumped back in shock. At first all she saw in front of her was a tall gift box with three sides. Picking her head up and looking at it, she saw a shadow step out. That's it, it was a criminal mastermind. It was time to call the cops. Taylor took another step back, then paused. She squinted and got a good look at what - or rather who - walked out of the box. Her eyes widened in surprise. Now, standing right in front of her was Chad with a goofy bow on his head and looking nothing like he came back from the army. He looked more like...well, a Christmas present.

"Oh my God!" Taylor exclaimed as a huge smile began to play on her lips. "Chad!"

Chad smiled broadly as Taylor jumped into his arms. He spun her around and wrapped his arms tight around her.

"Merry Christmas, Tay!"

"What the...how did...when...?" Taylor could barely get any words out as to how she was feeling. This was so shocking. How in the heck did he get home when he said he couldn't, let alone find a big enough box to just walk out of?

Chad couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. It was better than he could have ever imagined.

"There was no way I was gonna miss Christmas with you."

"You are absolutely crazy." Taylor gasped.

"What? No 'welcome home'? No 'I missed you so much'? No welcome home kiss? No..." Chad laughed.

Taylor laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm glad you're home Chad. I missed you so much." she said warmly.

Chad smirked, "You forgot something."

Taylor smiled and rolled her eyes before pulling him into a passionate kiss. They held each other close and didn't waste any time getting into it, forgetting the last time they had the pleasure of doing this. One thing was for sure, they didn't need any mistletoe to tell them they had to kiss.

**We will build us a snowman**

**That will reach to the sky**

**It will stay up until July**

As soon as the two became heavy on air, they broke apart and took the time to catch their breath. Taylor, still trying to overcome the aftershock, felt the need to make sure this was real. Taking a few more breaths, she pulled Chad close again and they shared a sweeter kiss this time. They just held onto each other, taking in each other, and made it a kiss of nothing but love. It lasted longer than the first kiss, with a smaller need for air the slower they went. When they finally did break apart again, they just rested their forehead against each other.

"I don't understand." Taylor breathed as she locked eyes with him.

"What's that, Tay-Tay?" he inquired.

"You siad you couldn't come home for Christmas. How did you?" she asked.

Chad smiled. "I wanted to make this year special. I didn't want it to be like any other year and just come home for two weeks. This year, I wanted to be your Christmas gift."

"Does your mother and sisters know about this?" she wondered.

Chad nodded. "They knew I was planning this the entire time."

Taylor shook her head at him. "You so played me."

"Believe me, when you find out why I did, you're gonna be so thrilled." he assured her.

"Alright," she went along with it, "Why did you purposefully play me?"

**As long as there's Christmas I truly believe**

**That hope is the greatest of the gifts we'll receive**

**As long as there's Christmas we'll all be just fine**

Chad smiled warmly. "Because I'm here to stay."

Taylor raised an eyebrow. She could tell by his smile and tone that it was a good thing. Bu the question was, what?

"What do you mean?"

"I'm my gift to you. Which means I'm all yours. No one else's. Not the army's. Not even my mom's. I'm yours, Tay." he answered.

"I like the sound of that." Taylor replied with a sly smile.

"Then you'll like the sound of this even more." Chad grinned.

"And what would that be?" she inquired.

Chad pulled her as close as possible, the smile staying on his face. "I was able to get out of the army."

Taylor's eyes widened. "You...you got out?" she gasped. Chad had been saying for years that it was impossible to do that. "But how...?"

"That's for me to know and for you just to be excited about." he smiled. "I don't think I could spend another year away from you if I tried."

"That's amazing!" Taylor gasped as she hugged him again.

"Hey don't sound too excited." Chad teased playfully, not hearing the squeal he assumed he'd get.

Taylor looked up at him. "Chad you just gave me the best Christmas gift I could ever ask for. All I got you was..." She reached down and picked up his gift, then handed it to him, "...this. It's nowhere near as good."

Chad smirked and took the wrapped gift. "I'll be the judge of that." He pulled back just slightly so he could tear the wrapping paper off and open his gift. He played with a smile in his lips as he opened it. "Are you kidding? It's just what I always wanted." From the box he pulled out a scrapbook that had a ton of pictures of the two of them. At the park, around the house, on vacation...although only about half of the scrapbook was filled. But Chad didn't look like he could care less. He looked at Taylor, "Now I've got something to fill the void when you're not here."

Taylor giggled. "I'm glad you like it." she smiled before wrapping her arms around him again. "Merry Christmas, Chad."

**There'll always be Christmas**

Chad smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "So do we get to finish the scrapbook together?"

"Yes we do. I don't think we had enough pictures of us." Taylor whined playfully.

"Well then we should fix that." he smiled. He gave her a peck on the lips. "And while we're at it, how about we make a little Christmas present of our own?"

Taylor smirked playfully. "You don't waste any time do you?"

"When I'm with you, never." he answered as he put the scrapbook down. He then scooped her up in his arms. "And if the phone rings, don't answer it. We're gonna be busy all day."

What about that turkey I have out that has to be made?" she asked.

Oh man, why did it have to be turkey? She knew that was Chad's favorite. The sneaky, conniving, dangerously hot devil woman.

"Ok, we can come down for dinner." Chad said quickly.

Taylor laughed as he carried her upstairs. "I wouldn't have it any other way.

Four words to describe the wonderful holiday they were now experiencing: Best Christmas Ever. Alright, that's three words. But you get the idea.

**So there always will be a time**

**When the world is filled with peace and love**

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Yup, that was from Beauty and the Beast the Enchanted Christmas. i wanted to do a songfic for the holidays and well, this was the only classic Disney song i could think of involving Christmas. XD I was almost finished with it last night, and then I stopped and finished it this morning. I wonder how it would have turned out if I kept working on it straight through. XD Oh well, the important thing is that it's a cute holiday story that makes you all warm and fuzzy inside. And if it doesn't...then may I suggest sitting in something nice and fuzzy? lol Anyway, I've got a new story in the works so check out my trailer for it, it was the story the few of you guys who voted in my poll from way back when wanted. Chaylor, Troypay, Traylor, and Chadpay...ok knowing me more Chaylor than anything else, little Traylor and even less Chadpay. XD And I've got more story ideas on the way as well. So before I leave you all for until the next time I put up a chapter, I wish you all Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, and Happy Fourth of July! Oh wait...wrong holiday. Sorry. XDDD


	38. Search for the Gold

Alright so I was looking through a list of Disney songs and was trying to think of an idea. I started playing one of the songs in my head and I started getting an idea. So here is the idea....  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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Chad took in the land around him as he stepped off the boat and his boots came in contact with the firm soil. Through his curly locks, his brown eyes could only barely see past the thick forest trees. He had been traveling on the high seas for some time now with a group of men, all in search of one thing: gold. They had traveled for days, weeks, and practically months. At least it felt like months to them; truth be told, none of them knew exactly how long they'd been sailing. But one thing Chad did know was that he was getting a strong feeling about this place. He was not going to leave it empty-handed. Making sure he had his gun, a weapon merely used as a tool of defense, in handy he turned to one of the men who had just gotten off the boat.

"This the place?"

"Yup." he nodded, walking over to Chad. He took in the area as well and placed a hand on Chad's shoulder in awe. "This is the place we've been aiming for. If the map's right, there should be piles of gold buried somewhere around here."

"We gotta be careful then, I reckon." a Texan - or perhaps a wannabe Texan - put in as he joined them. "This place could be some kinda dangerous. Bull wrestlin, cow tippin, goose chasin..."

Chad quirked an eyebrow, "You sure you're not thinking about a cartoon instead?"

"Well that don't matter none." he shook his head.

"He's right." the first guy nodded. "We came here to make fortunes and that's just what we're gonna do."

"Alright Will, so should we start scouting the area and find a good place to set up camp?" Chad asked him. "We can't stay on the boat the entire time we're here."

"True that, my brother." Will nodded. "You and Ricky go on ahead. I'll get some more guys to split up. We'll see what we can find around here."

"you got it." Chad nodded. He turned to the Texan, "You heard him Rick."

"That I did, partner. That I did." Ricky nodded as he and Chad made their way through the forest. "Got your walkie talkie in handy?"

"You kidding?" Chad chuckled. "It's the best way to keep in touch with everyone. Not like we need some fancy technology to know where we all are."

"Now that there's what I'm talkin about." he nodded.

Chad took in all the sights of the forest as they walked through. Everything just seemed so peaceful around here. There was this aura that just made it fell...some kind of welcoming. There were no bears or anything in sight of attack, no trees falling down, no sight of any storms.... Sure, maybe there were a few different kinds of birds that flew on by, but nothing dangerous. An eagle swooped down and grabbed Ricky's hat right off his head, squawking as it flew off. Ricky gasped and shook his fist at the bird before grabbing his gun, ready to shoot. Chad saw this and quickly spun around, grabbing the weapon before Ricky to pull the trigger.

"Careful. You don't wanna scare the poor thing." he said.

"But he went and took my hat." Ricky complained.

"Well then you can get a new hat." Chad shrugged his shoulders. "C'mon, let's keep walking and find a good place to settle for the night."

"Oh, alright." Ricky sighed and the two men walked on. It wasn't long before the path they were taking led to a fork in the road. The boys just stood there for a few moments, contemplating on which was the best way to go.

"How about we split up?" Chad suggested. "If we find anything we'll use our talkies."

"good plan, partner." Ricky nodded. and with that, the two went in separate directions. Too bad Chad didn't know the path he was taking was about to change his life forever.

**You think I'm an ignorant savage**

**And you've been so many places**

**I guess it must be so**

Chad stepped carefully over the dead leaves on the ground. He kept his weapon close, trying not to attract any attention. Even though there wasn't anyone or anything around he still didn't want to take any chances. So far everything looked in the clear. But one wrong step, and he broke a small twig in half. He nearly jumped at the sound, as it was loud enough to even surprise him. The next thing he knew the there was a loud roar. Chad looked carefully all around, trying to target the source. He took a few steps back, not seeing anything at first. But the further he backed away, the quicker he fell into the trap. Before he knew it, his back was right up against something furry. Chad hesitated for a minute before looking up and seeing what it was. His mouth dropped and he gasped, nearly tripping over. He looked up and saw a big angry bear just staring at him.

The bear made its way on all fours towards Chad. He managed to slide out of the way before the bear could strike. The bear picked up one of his paws and slashed at Chad, but he was able to use his gun as a defense shield. But it didn't last too long, as the bear managed to knock it right out of his hands. As it got right over him, Chad thought as quickly as possible. He kneed the bear, giving him just a few seconds to run back to his gun. He picked it up and used the tree behind him to stand back up. He turned to the bear and saw it was after him. Chad jumped out of the way, just to have the bear run into the tree itself and fall down. Chad spun around and aimed the gun at the bear, ready to pull the trigger.

**But still I cannot see**

**If the savage one is me**

**How can there be so much that you don't know?**

"STOP!"

Chad's finger immediately removed itself from the trigger as he heard someone call. He lowered his weapon and the next thing he knew, a girl was running towards the bear, wrapping her arms around it. He raised an eyebrow from confusion. What was she doing?

"Get away from that bear. It's dangerous." he told her.

The girl picked up her head and faced Chad, her big brown eyes staring right at him. "No it's not. You are." she said icily.

Chad raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? It attacked me."

"Because you scared it. What are you doing here anyway?" she hissed.

"I'm here on business. not like you need to know anything about it." Chad answered. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here." she replied. "And it's my job to protect the animals. Now get off this land."

"Make me." Chad retorted stubbornly.

The girl opened her mouth to speak again, but an approaching voice cut her off.

"What was that?"

"I think it came from this way." another voice replied.

The girl stood up and her mouth dropped. She turned back to Chad. "How many people came with you here?"

Chad shrugged. "Maybe thirty-ish. I haven't counted."

"Oh forget it!" she insisted. Struggling to move the bear, it managed to push itself up and the girl left with it before Chad knew it. He was in total shock, wondering who she was. Looking down at the ground he could see a necklace buried in the dirt. He picked it up and carefully rubbed the soil off, only to reveal one name: Taylor.

**You don't know...**

For the next few days while everyone else was out digging for golds, Chad kept finding his attention drifting towards the necklace he found. And somehow it all led him back to that girl. Who was she? What was she doing here? He took a moment to play the image of her in his mind. Long lucious black hair, big brown eyes, a figure to kill for....

"yo Chad."

Chad snapped out of his thoughts and lifted his head, seeing Will now standing in front of him.

"You've been dazing out a lot lately. What's up?" he asked.

Chad shook his head. "It's nothing." he lied.

"It sure sounds like something." Will answered. He glanced at the object in Chad's hands. "What's that?"

"Nothing." Chad answered a little too fast, hiding the necklace behind him. "I...I gotta go take care of something." He left the campsite before Will could get another word in edgewise. Chad ran as fast as he could to get out of there. He couldn't take it anymore. Gold, shmold, he wanted to find out what was going on. Not even caring if one of his comrades was following, Chad just kept on running. He briefly glanced behind him to see if anyone or anything was behind him. Seeing the totally empty area, Chad slowly slowed down. But as he did so, he ended up falling down to the ground after colliding with something. Or someone. Shaking his head lightly, he slowly turned around.

"It's you." he realized.

The girl sat up and gasped. "What are you still doing here?" Before Chad could answer, her eyes fell on the jewelry he held and she spoke again. "My necklace!"

"This is yours?" Chad asked, even though he shouldn't be so surprised. It was what he thought all along, after all.

"Yeah." she nodded. "I lost it the other day, I haven't been able to find it."

"It was on the ground after you left." Chad replied, handing it to her. "Taylor, is it?"

She nodded and took the necklace. "I suppose I should thank you for keeping it safe." she said as she put it back around her neck.

"Well you're welcome." Chad responded with a charming smile.

"I said I should." she rolled her eyes.

His expression fell. "Right..."

Taylor shook her head. She got up and looked back at Chad, but then her expression softened. "Your leg..."

Chad blinked and looked at one of his legs. He was still on the ground and one of them was stained with blood. He hadn't even noticed it when he fell. "I guess I cut my leg on something when I fell."

"My cabin isn't too far from here. I can put something on it." she offered.

"Or I could go back to my campsite." Chad replied.

Taylor shrugged her shoulders. "Do what you want." She turned around and started walking.

Chad rolled his eyes. Why did something about this girl pull him in? "Wait..."

She quirked an eyebrow and tilted her head back towards him.

Chad sighed lightly, knowing he had no choice but to give in. "Lead the way."

**You think you own whatever land you land on**

**The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim**

**But I know every rock and tree and creature**

**Has a life, has a spirit, has a name**

It wasn't long before the pair came to a small cabin in the clearing. Taylor helped him inside and rested him on a chair by a table. She left the room briefly and returned wit a few medical supplies. Chad raised an eyebrow from confusion, but as soon as she started tending to his leg everything seemed fine. She knew exactly what she was doing. Chad watched her every move very carefully and made sure not to move or speak until she was done.

"Alright," she told him not too long later, "your leg should be as good as new. Just use it carefully."

"Thanks." Chad responded as he slowly put it down. He raised an eyebrow, still having something on his mind. "So what are you doing out here anyway?"

"I told you, I live here." she answered simply as she put the supplies away.

"But why here out of all places?" Chad asked. "Why not a small town? Or a big city?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't understand." Taylor shook her head.

Chad folded his arms. "Try me."

"Oh I'm sure I could." she answered as-a-matter-of-factly. "But I just don't think it's any of your business."

"And I suppose the gold you're hiding around here isn't any of my business either?" he inquired.

Taylor sighed heavily. "Is that all you ever think about? Gold?"

"That's the only reason I came here." he answered. "Supposedly there's gold around these parts and the ship I'm on has people who want it. People who need money."

"Or people who are just plain greedy." Taylor replied as she stormed back into the room.

"Hey I'm not greedy. I could use that gold." Chad argued defensively.

"Please, what could you possibly need gold for?" she folded her arms. "Once pople get a little piece of riches, they want more. That's exactly what's going to happen if you find gold here. And even I can't guarantee it's around."

"Hey unlike half the people on that ship, I need that gold!" he insisted.

"For what?" she retorted. "What could possibly be so important that you travel way out here in hopes of finding something that may not even be around for? What's so urgent that you need to get as much gold as possible?"

He looked her right in the eyes and gave a firm, honest answer. "My family."

**You think the only people who are people**

**Are the people who look and think like you**

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Your family?" she repeated.

Chad nodded. He pushed himself off the chair and moved over to a nearby couch. "My mom died when I was young. I've got four little brothers and sisters to look after. All my dad does is drink. If I get my hands on some of that gold it can get our lives back on track. My dad can get a job and my brothers and sisters will be able to go to school.. Even just a handful of gold coins can do that."

"It's not that simple." she shook her head.

Chad sat down and looked at her. "So what do you know about my family?"

Taylor walked over to the couch and sat beside him. "What exactly is it your family does?"

Chad sighed. "My youngest siblings can only do so much. They're not old enough to have real jobs yet so all they can do is deliver papers in the morning or exchange odl bottles for a few coins. I got another one who was expelled from school cause he took after my dad and started drinking. Stole little bits of the stash from him and got hooked. The last one dropped out of school to get an -beep- of a job and can't even make end's meet for himself. And my dad's been drinking since my mom died. She was the successful one with all the money and when she went, my dad used all the money she left us on drinks. I'm the only one who finished school and has a halfway decent job. I send what I can, but it's nowhere near enough for them. If i get some of that gold then it'll be more than enough for them."

Taylor sighed and shook her head. "No it won't."

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"If your father's been hooked that long then any money you send him will only go towards more drinking and more destruction. Money can't buy happiness. It can't make any of your dreams come true."

"And how would you know that if you live way out here?" he replied.

Taylor sighed and looked at him. "My parents divorced when I was young. I was living in the big city with my mother. Once a year I would visit my father in the country. One year he found this place and set up the cabin. There was a lot of poaching going on and he wanted to stop it. I came here to visit every year since. Once I was old enough to live on my own, I came out to live with him. This life was so much better than anything my mother could have offered me. Staying awake late at night with all the cars and wild parties in the apartments, watching crimes happen from right outside my window, getting lost in dark allies and jumped by thugs or having to make a name for myself in some big business world.... None of that was for me. And once my father died, he left this whole cabin to me. I look after all the animals around here and try to keep people away."

"You had a chance to leave when he died. Why didn't you?" Chad asked.

Taylor took a minute to look around the place. She took a deep breath, almost one of contentment, then looked back at Chad. "I fell in love."

He tilted his head. "What, with some hunky forest hiker?"

She only giggled lightly. "I meant with this place. I could never put my finger on it, but there was just something about here that made me never want to leave. So I didn't."

"Ever get lonely with no people around to talk to?" Chad asked.

"Not really, no." Taylor shook her head. "There's the bears, the fish, the eagles..."

"And they have actual conversations with you..." he replied doubtfully.

Taylor shrugged her shoulders. "They're my family."

Chad chuckled and shook his head. "You are one weird girl."

"See for yourself." Taylor replied. "Come meet them."

Chad glanced at her. He had no idea what it was about her, but there was just something that kept pulling him in towards her. Here she was a totally fit, hot, intelligent girl who could be living the high life when she chose to rough it out in some forest on an island in the middle of nowhere. Such a rough exterior but something inside of her just seemed so soft and inviting. Like to him. Like she was inviting him almost began wondering what would happen if the other men saw her, what they would do with her. He had began considering to take them here. But in the same second he didn't want to. He didn't want them to see what he was seeing. And it wasn't just the vast wonders of nature or the glorious views this place provided them with. Chad didn't want them to see the woman he was looking at right now.

**But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger**

**You'll learn things you never knew you never knew**

So Taylor showed Chad her world. They moved a little slower with Chad's leg still needing to heal, but Chad was able to see more in that little time than he ever had before. He started by just seeing the little things in nature itself. Like how the sunlight seeps through the small holes in between the treetops and lights the ground. He saw how so many of the creatures there lived together in harmony. He saw that even in the driest areas there could be ont little plant that grew there.

Then came the animals. Some of them continued with their daily business as if the two humans didn't exist, but a few of them were more than happy to stop by and say hello. A few eagles soared in the sky, keeping an eye out for their daily food supply. Some gophers dug through the soil and accidentally bumped into trees. Owls were sitting in their little tree hollows snoozing the day away. The hummingbirds...well some of them didn't take to Chad so quickly. They thought his hair was an actual head of worms for them. Others...well let's just say they liked him so much they left him a little something.

**Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon**

**Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?**

**Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?**

"Oh crap!" Chad gasped as he tried to make a getaway.

"What's wrong?" Taylor asked, looking as he tried to escape.

"The angry bear from before..." he stammered.

Taylor turned around and could see the same bear that had chased after Chad a few days ago. Sure it was a big brown bear, but when it wasn't being bothered it didn't look the least bit harmful. Taylor giggled at his antics.

"Are you kidding? Cooper would never hurt a fly unless the fly had his lunch."

Chad slowly poked his head out from behind the tree he was hiding behind. "Cooper?"

"Yeah. That's his name." she nodded.

"You named the bear..." he said slowly.

"Of course I did. If it's a family you have to know what to call everyone." Taylor nodded.

"So...he's not gonna tear off my head and eat my brains..." Chad replied.

"Of course not." she shook her head. "Come on. If we're lucky maybe we can see his family today."

"Family?" he repeated.

"Yes. Now come on." Taylor urged as she followed Cooper.

Chad cautiously followed behind, the bear easily staying in sight. Not too far away from that little patch of forest they found him in was a cave. Cooper walked in and revealed another brown bear along with three bear cubs. Taylor walked in first, being graciously welcome by the creatures while Chad merely stood at the entrance. Taylor glanced over at him as she scooped up one of the cubs into her arms.

"Come in. They won't bite. Unless you hurt them or I tell them to." she told him.

Chad obeyed and stepped into the cave. He looked at the four bears before him. "So this is Cooper's family huh?"

"Yeah." Taylor nodded. She pointed to the mama bear first, then the three cubs. "That's Lana, and these are their cubs Koda, Bryan, and Trinket."

Chad looked at the big bears, then at the cubs. The little guys looked so harmless and playfull. One of them was cuddling up to Taylor in her arms and the other two were wrestling with each other, almost sounding like they were laughing. Chad quickly looked up when he heard Lana growl lightly. She stepped aside and revealed two more cubs laying behind her, playing their own little game. Taylor's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Two more?" she gasped. "When did you have them?"

One of the bear cubs got up and tried running away from the other. The second cub playfully swatted at the first, only to trip over its four paws and land in Chad's lap. But somehow Chad didn't jump back this time.

"wow..." was all he managed to get out, just looking at them. "They're so tiny."

Taylor carefully looked over the cubs, still holding one of the elder ones. "It looks like there's one of each." She then looked at Chad, "do you want to name them?"

Chad blinked. "Who, me?"

"Yeah, you." she nodded. "Go on, give them names."

Chad couldn't help but feel overcome with excitement, actually being included in this. "Alright..." he nodded. He looked back and forth between the tiny cubs. He thought for a minute before pointing to the one in his lap. "Pancho..." He then looked at the second cub, "and...Lila."

Taylor giggled. "you've got them reversed."

"What do you mean?" he asked, returning his attention to Taylor.

Taylor smiled warmly and pointed to the cub in Chad's lap, then the other one. "Lila and Pancho."

"Oh..." Chad said slowly not even realizing how close he and Taylor were now. "I knew that."

**Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?**

**Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?**

For a moment they weren't there with a small group of bears. There wasn't a ship full of people digging for gold. There wasn't even any life on the island or in the forest. It was just Chad and Taylor sitting in a cave and staring at each other. They looked at each other and realized just how close they were. There was a sensation that Chad never knew he could feel before. It was drawing him in. He took the first big step and inched closer to her. Although a small part of him was expecting her to jerk back, she inched in a little bit herself. It wasn't long before centimeters, then millimeters, separated their faces. They locked eyes and the bears that were there, but not there in their minds, looked at them expectantly. Their lips were practically on top of each other, daring to make contact.

**Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest**

**Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth**

"Hey Chad!"

Chad snapped out of his fantasy and pulled away before any physical contact between him and Taylor could be made. He looked around, trying to figure out where the distant voice was coming from.

"Yo Chad, where are ya partner?"

Taylor jerked back as well and watched briefly as the bears moved deeper into the cave, as to avoid being seen by possible poachers.

"Chad!"

Chad looked outside the cave, then back at Taylor.

"Who are those?" Taylor asked cautiously.

"Howdy Chad?"

The voices were still a bit off but they sounded like they were getting closer. Chad didn't want to take any chances.

"Those are two of my shipmates. They must be looking for me." he told her.

"No really, what was your first clue?" Taylor asked half sarcastically.

"I have to go." Chad said. He got up a little too quickly and could feel the stinging in his leg.

"Careful." Taylor gasped as she slowly helped him up. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Chad nodded. "I gotta go before they find us. They don't know there's someone living here."

"Well...are you going to come back?" Taylor asked.

Chad nodded. "Yeah. Tomorrow. Bright and early. I'll be at the cabin."

Taylor opened her mouth to speak again, but one of the voices cut her off.

"Chad, ollie ollie oxen free!"

"Ok you're done with calling him. Leave the shouting to me, Rick!"

Taylor looked at Chad again, her eyes almost pleading him not to go. But he slowly and reluctantly pulled away from her, then ran to find his shipmates before they'd find them.

**Come roll in all the riches all around you**

**And for once, never wonder what they're worth**

Chad got up as early as he could the next morning. He didn't waste any time getting out of his sleeping bag and rushing to the cabin. Little did he know that his leave didn't go unnoticed.

He contently made his way through the forest and easily made it to the cabin. He felt as good as ever today. He was light on his feet, there was a skip in his step, and he had a huge smile on his face. He quietly stepped into the cabin once he arrived, under the impression that Taylor was still sleeping at this hour. He navigated his way through the cabin and easily found her in another room sleeping on a small bed. Chad smiled and walked over. He moved a few strands of hair and lowered his head to whisper into her ear.

"Wake up Taylor. Time to get up."

A light groan escaped her as she turned over. Her eyes slowly drooped open and she saw Chad standing by her bedside. A small smile came across her face. "You made it back."

"Told you I would." he replied with a smile. He climbed onto the bed and playfully sat on top of her.

"Now don't you go pulling any funny tricks. I could go kick your butt." Taylor reminded him.

"Oh I know you could." he smirked. "And I hope there's breakfast here, cause I left before eating. None of the guys were even awake yet."

"Well if you get off of me I might be able to do something about that." she told him.

"I'll get off when you tell me what we have planned today." he grinned.

Taylor smiled and rolled her eyes. "After we make sure all the animals are still safe and sound, there's a couple of competitive eagles that love to race, Sue and Dimitri. If I can get some food for us in the next five minutes, we should be out in no time."

"You got it." Chad smiled as he crawled off her, then out of the bed.

Taylor pulled the blankets off of her and got out, now standing next to Chad. "Do your shipmates suspect anything?"

"No, not a thing." he smiled. "I'm totally home free."

"And how do I know you're not seducing me just to find gold?" Taylor smirked.

Chad grinned and moved some hair out of her face. "Let's just say it's because I've got something planned that I think we'll both enjoy later." he answered as he inched closer.

**The rainstorm and the river are my brothers**

**The heron and the otter are my friends**

**And we are all connected to each other**

**In a cirle, in a hoop that never ends**

And just like the day before when they inched closer, their lips would never make contact.

"Chad!"

The pair turned to the now open cabin door and saw some of Chad's shipmates walking in.

"What in the sam hill is goin on here?" Ricky gasped.

"holy snap, there's hot women on this place!" Will gasped with wide eyes as soon as he saw Taylor. "I say we ditch the gold and find her sisters!"

"Hey I bet those chicks'll know where all our gold is!" one of them exclaimed.

"Yeah, let's make her talk!" another one said.

"And tell us where her sisters are, too!" Will added.

"You've got to be kidding me." Chad muttered.

Taylor looked at him, "Chad what's going on?"

The men started ganging up on them. "C'mon, tell us where the gold is!"

"Give us our gold!"

"Start talkin, missy ma'am!"

"Hey back off! Get away from her!" Chad gasped, trying to push them away.

"Hey!" one of them gasped, "I bet she has all the gold and gave it to Chad!"

"What? No!" Chad insisted.

"Yeah, that's gotta be it!" Ricky exclaimed. He turned to Chad angrily. "Hand us over all our gold."

"I don't have any." Chad argued. "Even if I did, I'd send it to my family first instead of give it to you!"

"Stop your yellow-bellyin' white lies!" Ricky retorted. "We all know you got the goods."

"There is no gold!" Taylor blurt out, which briefly got everyone stopping. "I've lived here for years and I never once saw any gold around. You're wasting your time. Just go home and leave this land alone."

"Wait, look!"

The men turned to see Will had left the cabin. He was now outside using his hands to dig through some of the dirt. Within moments, he pulled out a small golden rock.

"It's gold!"

The men's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Well is that all? Ya see any others?" Ricky asked eagerly.

Will shook his head. He pointed to Taylor. "I bet she hid them all over the island!"

"What? No I don't!" Taylor gasped.

"Get her!" Ricky exclaimed and the men started charging.

Chad tried his best to stay in front and keep them away from Taylor. "No...get away from her!"

One of the tougher men was able to push Chad away and knock him into a wall. Ricky then got his hands on Taylor and she was finding it difficult to get out of his grip.

"I suppose we should be thankin ya, partner." Ricky told Chad. "If you hadn't gone findin' this lady we woulda never found out where all our gold is."

"alright, now tell us where the gold is." Will told Taylor as he approached her.

Chad tried to get up, but a couple of the men got a grip on him and held him down.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Taylor answered.

"I think you do." Will replied. "We want our gold. Now!"

"There is no gold!" Taylor insisted.

"Then what am I holding?" he replied, swinging the gold rock in her face.

"I don't know, I've never seen it before!" Taylor retorted, exasperated.

"Well if you don't talk then we're gonna make ya talk!" Ricky said. "if I may, partners, I'll be glad to do the honors."

"And how are you going to make me talk?" she questioned, looking at him coldly.

Ricky just smirked. "Oh we got our way, missy. We got our ways."

**How high will the sycamore grow?**

**If you cut it down then you'll never know**

When Chad came to, he was still in the cabin. He rubbed his head and slowly sat up, looking around. The cabin was completely empty. There were no men or Taylor in sight. They must have knocked him out cold and taken her somewhere. He cursed to himself and hit his fist against the wall. How could he let this happen? why did they have to take her away? What were they going to do to her? He shouldn't have let this happen, he should have been more careful. Why did he even come on this stupid trip in the first place.

Then Chad realized something. Looking down he could see the piece of gold on the floor. Will must have accidentally dropped it while they left. Chad picked it up and looked it over. Something just didn't look right. chad was no gold expert, but he remembered learning about this somewhere. There was gold...and then there was fool's gold. What if this was fool's gold? and there really was no gold around here? If that was the case, then he had to do something...and fast!

Chad decided to look around the forest and see if he could find Taylor, hoping she escaped somehow. He looked everywhere they walked, all around the cabin...even in with the bear family. But she was nowhere to be found. As much as he hated to do this, there was only one place left to look for her.... The ship.

**And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon**

**For whether we are white or copper skinned**

**We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain**

Chad had no idea what was going on when he got on the ship. All he could see was a large mob of men, all his shipmates, and he broke through. Something told him that Taylor was in the center of it and he was going to break this up.

"STOP!" he yelled.

The men turned to him and they slowly parted. Chad blinked, surprised in the center to see Taylor actually holding her own against Ricky. She had her hands tight on his wrists and was gripping him so tight like she was ready to knee him. Chad's mouth nearly dropped. Man she was good!

"Chad you made it." Taylor realize, quickly letting go of Ricky, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Are you ok?" he asked as he went over to her.

"The second they let me go I was alright." she answered.

"Hey we're not done with her! We want our gold!" Will gasped.

Tylor rolled her eyes and turned to him. "I already told you..."

"There is no gold." Chad finished, their voices finishing the statement together.

"Alright, just cause you had some fun with her..." Will started.

"I know for a fact." Chad replied. He picked up the gold he had and showed it to everyone. "This 'gold' you have here isn't gold. It's foll's gold."

"What?" the men gasped.

"How do you know that?" Will questioned.

"I actually remember something I learned in school." Chad answered. "And don't you think gold would be a little heavier than this?" He tossed the gold to them and the second it hit the floor, it shattered.

"Wait...so we're gold-less?" Ricky complained.

"Which means we have no business here. The best thing to do would be to sail home and look elsewhere for gold. Or work a hard-earned middle class lief and make our own money." Chad replied.

"And if you know what's good for you all I suggest you get off this land." Taylor warned them. "This is my home, this is my preserve for the creatures living here, and you are all trespassing."

Will couldn't help but laugh. "You sure you want that?"

"What are you talking about?" Taylor shook her head.

Will walked over to them and pat Chad on the shoulder. "Chad here's one of our best men. He's got a family to look after you know. You send us away, you're sending him away too."

Chad looked at his shipmate, then back at Taylor. She wouldn't really send him away would she? He was just getting to love it here. He was getting so used to the land. He was feeling right at home. He named those two bear cubs, for crying out loud! Where he came from, you don't ask a person to name animals unless they're part of the family. Or really close friends. And whichever of those Chad really was, he felt like he belonged here more than he ever eflt like he did at home. It didn't matter what he came here for anymore, all that mattered was what he found. And he couldn't be more grateful. Not because there wasn't treasure buried in the forest, but because of the treasure living in it.

"Taylor..."

He reached out for her but Taylor took a few steps back. She slowly shook her head and just stared at him. But it wasn't like the stare they'd given each other before. There was something about it that was totally different. Something about it that made Chad feel like she was pushing him away.

"You should go." she told him. Not even giving Chad a chance to say anything else, she left the ship.

**We need to paint with all the colors of the wind**

The following morning Taylor could see in the distance as the ship sailed off. She had climbed one of the trees, where one of the eagles was residing. All she could do was lean up against the bark and watched as it slowly disappeared from sight. She let out a sigh, wondering how she could let Chad go. But this wasn't his home. It wasn't his place to stay. He had to go back. Just like she had to stay here. Moving some hair out of her face, she glanced at the eagle in the nest beside her.

"I did the right thing, didn't I Sue?"

The eagle just looked at Taylor and cocked her head.

Taylor sighed and shook her head. "Never mind." She got up and moved to the first lowest branch she could reach. "Check on Dimitri and the other birds, alright? But no racing today."

Sue nodded as though she understood, then flew off.

Taylor continued climbing down. Once she was low enough, she jumped off the branch and landed on the ground. She looked around the forest, feeling a sense of emptiness. She now knew what she was missing all the time she'd been living here. Taylor had spent most of her life taking care of and protecting the animals here. But the last thing she had expected to do was run into a group of men looking for gold buried around the area and actually fall for one of them. But even she knew it was never meant to be. This is where she belonged and this is what she had to do. There was no time for romance or relationships. The only boys she'd be worrying about were the male animals. And she wasn't going to let anyone get their hands on them. Speaking of which, now would be a good time to see how Cooper and Lana were doing with their five cubs.

She made her way to the cave, expecting to see the bears go about their daily business. But she just couldn't stop thinking about Chad. They had started off completely on the wrong foot, and somehow in less than a week they had gotten so close. Taylor felt such a strong urge to be around him. It was a feeling she just couldn't describe. But it was something none of the animals could have given her. With all the thinking she was doing about Chad, imagine her surprise when she walked into the cave and sitting right in the middle playing with a few of the cubs was Chad himself. Did she wish for him to stay so badly that she was imagining things?

"Chad...?" she asked, almost as if to make sure it weren't a dream.

Chad looked at her and smiled. He placed the cub down and stood up. "You were expecting Smokey the bear in here with his long lost cousins?"

Taylor shook her head in disbelief. "I don't believe it. What are you...? How did you...?"

He chuckled lightly and walked over to her. "I didn't leave with the ship."

"What are you talking about?" Taylor replied. "You had to go. You said you needed the gold for your family. The only way you could find it is if you left. I told the rest of those guys to leave, you were supposed to go with them. That was your only way home."

"What if I had a new home?" he replied.

Taylor raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about?"

"I figured something out while I was here," he explained, "the way all those guys acted over a piece of gold that wasn't even gold.... It's not worth it. We came all this way expecting to find something and the second we did, everyone overreacted. It brought out the worst possible greed in people. That's not what I wanted in coming here. All I wanted was something for my family to keep them going. But that's not here. There's nothing I can do."

"Of course there's something you can do. you can find some other way to give them money." Taylor replied.

"You said it yourself. Money can't buy happiness. If my dad gets his hands on any money I send, he'll use it for beer. I can't risk that." Chad told her. "The best I can do is believe in them. And if I find something to help them, I'll send it over somehow. But I'm not risking their life or health anymore and I'm not gonna work my butt off so my dad can do something stupid with all that hard work. Everything I have, there's so much better I can do."

"And what would that be?" she asked.

He took her hands in his. "If I stay here. I didn't take the ship home because I really didn't wanna leave. And let's face it, you can't protect everything around here all by yourself."

"And you can?" she inquired.

Chad chuckled. "With a girl who can kick Ricky in the groin without flinching, I know I can."

Taylor couldn't help but giggle.

"And you so don't think I can handle it." Chad teased playfully.

She went along with his little game. "No, no I don't." she said slyly. "It could get pretty lonely. No other humans around. No one but me and a whole bunch of animals. That need constant surveillance. A lot of crops to grow to eat. An awfully small bad in a tiny cabin."

"I can handle it all." Chad answered with a confident smile. "And if you'll have me. And I really hope you will, cause I'm not about to swim who knows how long back to Nowhere, Kansas."

Taylor smiled and nodded. "Of course I will. I love you."

"I love you too." Chad replied with a smile.

Then, after waiting for almost two days they were finally able to make the contact they've been longing to. They shared a soft yet passionate kiss. What they couldn't deny was, despite the fact that it felt like there was nothing else around, the bears growing with pleasure and cheer behind them. They laughed at the animals' reaction as they slowly pulled away. Taylor looked up at him and smiled.

"You know, a lot of the animals around here are like my brothers. If you make one wrong move, they will hurt you."

Chad chuckled and nodded. "I know." He paused for a minute before asking one final thing, ".... How many brothers, exactly?"

**You can own the Earth and still**

**All you'll own is Earth**

**Until you can paint with all the colors of the wind**

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So there we have it, another chapter. It's Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas. Definitely a song worthy of a fanfiction. Not my favorite movie or anything, but great music like any other Disney movie. ^^ I worked all day on this chapter so if we're lucky that means it turned out well. lol Oh come on, I can joke about my writing. It's fun to make jokes. Come on everyone, make jokes with me! ^^ -chirp chirp chirp- Ok very funny, crickets, i can take a hint. Anyway, this story is now officially two reviews short of 100. I'm really excited because if this does hit 100 - which hopefully it will if i plan to give this story about 50 chapters total - then it'll be my second story with 100 or more reviews! C= Now it's just a matter of what other songs to use. If you guys have suggestions, suggest away! The only songs I'm not doing are from a certain Disney movie involving a puppet because that movie scared the heck out of me when I was little and I really don't want anything to do with that movie...except the phrase 'just let your conscience be your guide' cause we all know that's important. So suggest, review, comment...whatever.... XD As soon as I figure out another song to use expect another chapter up. And I wish to everyone yet again, Happy Holidays! =3


	39. You'll Never Be

First off, I would like to say to everyone... Happy New Year! Hope everyone enjoyed their New Years Eve and New Years Day. Well, the only thing i hated was driving at night. XD So I want to start this year off well. So, I've been trying to figure out what would be another good song to use for these songfics. And what I've been considering is writing a two-parter. As for this chapter, you'll see for yourself what awaits. The song in here is one of the Lion King 2 songs.  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Ever since I could remember, our kind didn't take nicely to betrayers. Now that's probably something you'd expect to hear from a cartoon. That's nowhere near the case here. See, Washington DC isn't all it's cracked up to be. There's constantly conflict between politicians, media, chefs...you name it, we'll hate something about it. No, I'm not that high up in this area. I may not be the president's daughter, but my father is well renowned in the political world. He's often called into the white house for meetings. He never sticks around home at much for me to know what he does...who am I kidding, he doesn't tell his own family anything about his work...so all I can say is that he's some kind of adviser to someone important in the White House.

Let me back up for a minute and make this as simple as possible...in this town, Republicans and Democrats are sworn enemies. What would make it even worse is if someone in our party turned against us. It's happened before. My family is democratic. And it used to be that the Danforth family was, too. The McKessies and Danforths used to be perfect partners. Together they'd find ways to make the Republican party look bad, do anything it took to make sure a Democrat got in an office somewhere. Unfortunately, that was long ago. Now, the McKessies and Danforths are natural enemies. From what I know, my great grandfather was planning on running for office. I'm not sure which office or where, no one ever told me. But in the middle of one of his speeches...well needless to say it didn't end well. One of the Danforths was caught with a gun, so put two and two together and you've got the reason behind our rivalry. After that, the Danforths turned to the Republican party. We've been enemies ever since.

I've never met any of their kind; I only know what I've been told. But because of that one story from so long ago, I've been raised to not trust them and stay as far away from them as possible. But that was all about to change.

I had been out later - much later - than I had wanted to. There had been something going on at my school that required me to stay a few extra hours. Needless to say I wasn't able to get out until nine. There was a small group of us leaving, but instead of traveling with them like I should have, I decided to take a short cut home. I figured that if I could get home quicker then that would leave me some time to relax, a little time to get started on some work, and then the rest of the night to get some shut eye. But there was no way it was that simple. I took a wrong turn somewhere and not only ended up in an alley, but right in front of a dead end. I started to turn back and retrace my steps, but I was stopped by some thugs. There were three of them; it was dark and I could barely see them, but even I could tell they weren't a force to be reckoned with. With nowhere to run, all i could do was back up until I was against a wall. My heart started beating a mile a minute as they got closer.

"Well, looky here boys. We got a stray chick on our streets." one of them said.

"what should we do first? Rob her, or have a little fun?" another one asked.

The first one smirked - I could tell - and put his fists together. He had this sinister feel to him, like he was definitely planning something. He approached me, and as much as I tried to back up some more I knew there was nowhere to run.

"Where do you think you're goin, hot shot?" he asked me.

I couldn't let them see that I was scared. I did my best to run around them and make an escape. But I underestimated the reflexes of this one. He grabbed me in a millisecond and spun me to face him. He smirked again, and then gave the second guy his answer.

"I think we'll start by havin a little fun with her."

I already knew I wasn't going to like this. I had no clue what their idea of fun was, and I wasn't intending to find out. I struggled to get loose.

"Let me go!" I gasped.

His grip was too tight. There was no way for me to escape.

"Who wants first crack?" the guy holding me asked.

"I will." the third one finally spoke.

I turned my head to look at him, but I wished I had never laid eyes on him. Not only was this one the tallest and most sinister looking of them all, but it didn't look like anyone could mess with him and get away with it. He was like the kind of guy you'd be scared to death of if he broke into your house and....

I tried to get loose again, but the third guy grabbed me as soon as the first one let me go. He lifted me with one arm and the next thing I knew I was being carried away. I pounded on his back, trying to get loose once again.

"Put me down!"

"Hehe, feisty. I like that in my fun." he laughed. "Yeah, you're gonna be a good time alright. Cause if you are, I'll be sure to find you again."

I was immediately able to figure out what he was going to do with me. I couldn't let that happen. Stay strong, stay strong.

"If you do anything to me, I swear that my father..." I started.

He laughed once again. "Yeah, I'm real scared. Keep it up and I might have to keep you here. I'll make sure he never finds you."

We then arrived through another alley. There was some run-down furniture there. My guess is that they stole it as soon as it was thrown out of someone's house. I was thrown down onto the couch, which was not only springy and uncomfortable, but had stuffing spewing out of it. I turned to see the guy ready to get on top of me. But just before he could, something - or someone attacked him. I shut my eyes tight for a few minutes, a bit too afraid to see what was going on. I heard some sounds of fighting and cursing, but luckily no sounds of guns or slashing. When I finally let myself see what was going on, I saw someone coming over to me. There were very few lights, so he was just as much in the shadows as the rest of them were.

"Come with me. Let's get out of here." he said, offering me his hand.

I was a little hesitant to take it at first, but then I saw the other guy getting up and ready to charge. Hoping I'd be safer with this new one, I took his hand and he led me out of the alley in what felt like no time at all. When we made it out, there was a blue and white motorcycle parked at the curb. He let go of my hand, put on a helmet from the seat, then hopped onto it.

"Get on." he told me, tossing me a helmet.

I caught it, yet still hesitated to make any movements. I was starting to wonder if I really could trust him. I got a better look of him now, but the helmet was now hiding his face. He looked about as strong as those other three, but nowhere near as threatening.

"what are you waiting for, get on!" he nearly snapped, which brought me back to reality. I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted when I heard the thugs running in this direction. Not even thinking, I put on the spare helmet and got on the bike.

"Hang on." he told me as he started the engine.

I wrapped my arms around his waist, and seconds later we were speeding down the road. And just barely over the roar of the engine, I could hear the thugs yelling to get back here and that we wouldn't get away with this.

**Deception**

**Disgrace**

When we were finally safe, he parked the motorcycle. I sighed with relief and let go of him. I took off his helmet and got off the bike first, then turned to me and offered his hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I took one look at him and...oh man was he something else! I could mostly see him through my helmet. He had this flawless coca skin, these incredible brown eyes, and the wackiest hair I've ever seen. I found myself unable to speak, so I merely nodded and took his hand. As soon as I was up, I let go of his hand and took off my helmet.

"Thank you." I managed to say.

He gave me the most amazing smile. "Don't worry about it. Happy to help. What were you doing out there, anyway?"

"I was on my way home from school. I was trying to take a shortcut, but I guess I got lost instead." I admitted.

"Sorry to hear that." he said. "If you need a ride home, I knew the area pretty well. I could give you a lift."

"Could you?" I asked. He wasn't doing anything funny. He had saved me. I was hoping that meant I could trust him.

"On one condition." he answered.

I should have known there was a catch. "If you want what those other guys wanted..." I started.

"Not a chance." he shook his head, chuckling. "Just your name."

"It's Taylor." I answered. "What about you? I mean, you are the guy who just saved me, I have the right to know who you are."

"I'm Chad." he replied with a smile. "Smart girl. I like that."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I like smart girls." Chad answered.

"What are you, a cop?" I giggled.

"Sort of." he admitted. "I'm in training. With all of the stuff that goes on around here, everyone's more worried about political stuff than local crime waves."

"Well I grew up around politics. So a cop in-training would be a nice break." I replied.

"Good. Then that means I'll see you again." he smiled.

I just stared at him and folded my arms. I suppose what I should have said was just take me home' or 'nice try' but for some reason I gave him a completely different response.

"How does tomorrow around three sound?"

"It's a date." Chad grinned. He then put his helmet back on. "Now let's get you home."

And with that I got on his motorcycle and we rode off into the night.

**Evil as plain as the scar on his face**

I met up with Chad the next day as planned. As soon as school was over, I ran to meet with him. My friend Gabriella asked where I was in such a rush off to; I merely told her I had all the rivalries in my family with other families, and my parents needing to make sure that any boy I liked had to be part of our political party, it was nice to hang out with someone I wanted to. It wasn't my fault if maybe I happened to like him in the process.

When I met up with Chad, we rode his bike to a pizza place. We talked the entire time. I learned so much about him. Just talking about the little things to him...I couldn't even describe it. Something inside me just said I could tell him anything.

"Really, your family deals with politics, too?" I asked shocked.

"Yeah. They're really big in the political world." Chad admitted.

"I don't think I've ever heard of them before. Who are they anyway?" I wondered.

Chad hesitated as he fooled around with the straw in his soda. "They're Republican."

I blinked. Those were not the kind of people I should be hanging out with. But just because he said they were Republican wasn't going to get me running for the hills.

"Are they?"

"Yeah." he nodded. "They're sort of...on the weird side. My folks are Republican but sometimes they still act like Democrats. I have no idea why. Something about a rivalry."

"Really?" I asked.

Chad shook his head. "It's not important. Anyway, I'm not into the whole political business. I wanna help people, not turn them against other people."

"I think that's really great." I answered. "You've already helped lots of people."

He chuckled. "Are those lots of people all you?" he joked.

"Maybe." I said innocently.

He smiled and shook his head. "You're good."

"I try." I giggled.

Chad took a sip of his soda. "So what about you? What do you do with your life?"

"I'm still working everything out." I admitted. "My main goal is to get out of here. Settle down in a nice place and, for the most part, get away from this world."

"Can't say I blame you." Chad nodded. "Your parents all political psychos, too?"

"Big time." I responded. "They're as Democratic as they hate even seeing me with a Republican." I realized what I said and looked at him. Did that freak him out? Was he going to stop seeing me?

"If it makes you feel any better, sometimes my folks are the same with me and Democrats." Chad said. "It's good to know I'm not the only one with those issues."

I smiled and held in a sigh of relief. Chad must have seen through me, because then he shot me a smile.

"You really think something like that's gonna scare me? Last night I just handed a thug almost twice my size a fist sandwich. That's scarier than worrying about a girl's parents and what they think of me."

"You know you're really something else." I told him.

"I know." he smiled. He took a bite of his pizza before asking, "So what are we doing tomorrow?"

**Deception (an outrage)**

**Disgrace (for shame)**

I knew my parents would have a fit if I saw Chad again, but I couldn't stay away from him. Something was constantly pulling me towards him, and I just couldn't put my finger on it. Everyday after school I would meet him and we'd go somewhere. of course we both agreed to keep it low key. If anyone either of us knew saw us, we might as well be burnt like toast. There was no way we were going to let that happen. I wasn't going to let that happen. There was an undeniable attraction between me and Chad, and there was no way someone was going to blow it for us. I didn't care if he wasn't 'one of my people' or anything like that. I liked him for him. But of course no one around here would be able to look past what a person does and like them for who they are.

About a week past since we first met and we finally decided to take the next step and have a real dinner...as opposed to just hanging out after school talking about our lives while sharing a pizza. It was supposed to be like a real date. I walked into the restaurant we agreed to meet at and the waiter led me to the table Chad and I had reserved. I saw Chad sitting there waiting patiently. He picked his head up and our eyes connected. He stood up when I got to the table and smiled at me.

"Hey Taylor."

"Hey yourself." I smiled. I couldn't take my eyes off of Chad. Sure, neither of us were dressed in fancy outfits but even in a casual sports jacket he was looking finer than usual. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he couldn't take his eyes off of me either. I suppose I couldn't be too sure, because I was too busy staring at him to notice.

"You look amazing." he told me.

"So do you." I replied.

We then sat down across from each other and traded small talk. I couldn't part from his gaze the entire time. Not like I wasn't listening of course; every word Chad was saying was going through me loud and clear. And then when he reached across the table and took my hand, I felt like I was on cloud nine.

Now I'm no expert on guys, but I'd have to say this is a true test for us. Every other time we hung out was to see if we were...compatible, if you will. And tonight would be if we both really felt something. I know, I've heard far too much gossip at school. But none of that mattered at all. To me, there was a connection from the moment we met. It was just a matter now of finding out if he felt what I felt. And what I felt right now, holding his hand, was a warm spark coursing through my body.

Our food arrived shortly after our small talk. While we ate, we merely sat in silence. It wasn't until we were nearly finished with our meal that Chad spoke again.

**He asked for trouble the moment he came**

"Tay there's something I gotta tell you."

I placed down my fork and gave Chad my undivided attention. "What's up?"

Chad took a deep breath, like he was waiting to get something off his chest. "You know that if our folks ever find out about us...we're as good as dead, right?"

I gave a nod, though wondering where he was going with this.

"And...and we may never see each other again." he sighed. "So...we need to make a decision now, if we should risk still seeing each other or not."

Now I knew where he was going with this. Chad was realizing that we had our families to think about. How we couldn't disgrace them by dating an enemy. We needed to know whether our feelings were more important than that or not..assuming at least he had any feelings. And I think I knew exactly what he was trying to say.

"I understand." I nodded softly. I looked down a little, trying not to meet Chad's gaze again. If he was going to say what I thought he was going to say, then I was going to want to get out of here as fast as possible.

But he said what I wasn't expecting. "And I don't care about those risks one bit."

I picked up my head and raised an eyebrow. Had he really said what I thought he said? "What?"

He reached across the table and took my hand in his again. "I don't care about any stupid risks. I care about you and I care about us. If our parents ever find out, they're not gonna stop me from seeing you. Every day we've spent together...it's like the highlight of everything to me. There's nowhere I'd rather be. you make me feel happier than I've ever been, Taylor. And our parents have no right to take away my happiness. But I need to know if this is what you want, too. It's not just my happiness that matters. Yours does, too. And right now...if I could make you happy, then that would make me the happiest guy alive."

I'm surprised I hadn't tuned out everything after 'I care about you and I care about us'. Just hearing that sentence alone put me on top of the world. It told me everything I needed to know. I wasn't the only one who felt something. He felt it, too. There was something here. I couldn't be more relieved to hear any of what he said.

"I am happy, Chad. Because I get to be with a great guy like you." I smiled. "Nothing is going to change that. I can't remember a time where I felt like this. You make me happy, Chad. and there's no one I'd rather be with. And if our parents ever find out then they're not going to stop me from seeing you. I could care less about what they have to say right now. Because the only thing that matters to me is us. This is my world. And I'm not about to live it without you."

Chad's smile spread so widely across his face. In all the time we've seen each other, I don't think I've seen him that happy. When he said he'd be the happiest guy alive, he was not joking.

"So does that mean you'll be my girl?" he asked hopefully.

My smile grew. I thought he'd never ask. "Yes." I breathed. "A million times yes."

Chad smiled and pulled us both out of our seats. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me close. My arms went around his neck, like they'd never let go. And then the next thing I knew, he pulled me into the most romantic kiss I've ever had. Not that I've had any kisses before, but if I did I'm sure this would still be the best one. I could hear the fireworks in my head from the first second. I kissed him back right away, feeling like I'd never pull away.

**Deception (an outrage)**

**Disgrace (for shame)**

We pulled away what felt like hours later even though it was only minutes. Chad and I were breathing heavily, begging for air.

"That was...amazing." I told him in between breaths, despite the fact that it was probably the dumbest thing to say after a kiss.

"It was..." he agreed.

It took us a few more minutes to catch our breath. When we did, Chad spoke again.

"There's something I wanna show you."

"What is it?" I wondered.

"Come with me." Chad replied. He put some money on the table, then took my hand and led me to the back of the restaurant.

I raised an eyebrow, having no idea where we were going. I glanced at Chad, who looked like he was looking for something. Or someone. After a few moments of searching, he pulled one of the waiters to the side. This had me even more confused now, as I had no idea why they were practically hiding out to discuss something. I could barely even hear what they were saying, they were talking in such low whispers. From the corner of my eye, I saw the waiter sneak a key into Chad's free hand. Chad nodded a thank you, then let me around the corner to a staircase with a velvet rope in front of it, obviously meaning it was a restricted area. Chad removed it and led me up the stairs.

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"It's a reserved spot. You only get in if you know the right people to go to." Chad answered.

"Apparently you know the right people." I assumed.

"The guy's a friend of the family." he replied, referring to the waiter. "He's got total access to this place. If you wanna have some alone time with someone after a meal, this is the place to go."

"So we're going up there to get away from everyone." I said.

"Well I'm no kissing expert," Chad chuckled, "but I would like to kiss my new girlfriend in private without having everyone watching us like it's some kind of show."

"Well, I'm honored." I responded with a smile.

We reached the top of the staircase and Chad used the key to unlock it. We walked in and then he locked the door behind us. I took in the view of the area. It was small yet cozy. The first thing that came to mind was a honeymoon suite....only with a couch instead of a bed. The walls were painted a luscious red, there were little heart decorations on everything, and there was even a nice small view of the town.

"This is amazing, Chad." I told him.

"I thought you might like it." he replied with a smile. He put the key down and we walked over to the couch. He sat down first and pulled me into his lap. We didn't waste any time before we started kissing again. There was that spark I felt again, just like when our hands touched. But it was stronger this time. I felt it completely taking over my body. I couldn't even describe the feelings I was getting from this. It was just...oh man it was just the most incredible experience. Our kissing easily turned into a make out session and before I knew it, I was laying on the couch with Chad on top of me, our session continuing. Everything else after that was almost completely a blank. All I could say for sure after that, was that it was the most magical night I could ever ask for.

**(Traitor go back with your own)**

**He asked for trouble the moment he came**

**(See you later, agitator)**

I was literally on cloud nine after that. Every step I took, I felt like I was floating. Sadly, Gabriella didn't think that it was such a good thing. Let's just say that she had her suspicions. But with one side of her family in the CIA and the other half living the political life here, it was no surprise.

"Look at you, walking on sunshine." she noticed of me one day at school.

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders as I opened my locker. "I guess I am."

Gabriella nodded and took a few books out of her own locker and placed them in her backpack. "I've never seen you this happy before. Must be something good."

"It is." I nodded.

"Your parents kick a family out of power?" she guessed.

"Not at all." I shook my head. Anything my parents told me about involving their jobs was virtually the last thing on my mind.

Gabriella closed her locker and turned to me. "So spill. What's the big secret?"

I suppose I could tell Gabriella. I mean, I was having all this fun with Chad to myself. The least I could do was let me friend in on the good news.

"I'm seeing this guy." I smiled.

Gabriella raised an eyebrow and gave a single nod. She was still looking suspicious. "Friend of the family?"

"Not exactly." I admitted.

"Well he is a Democrat, right?" Gabriella asked. "I mean, come on. If your parents ever find out you're seeing a guy behind their back, especially one of their enemies, you might as well make your last will right now."

"It's not that big a deal, Gabriella." I told her. "I'm happy, I really am. The happiest I've ever been in years."

"And you think just one guy can do that?" she asked. "How long have you known him anyway?"

I shrugged my shoulders. I had honestly lost count after the first week. "A couple of weeks." I estimated.

Gabriella let out a laugh. And it wasn't a laugh of humor, it was more like a laugh of sarcasm.

"So you hook up with a guy you barely know and he puts you on top of the world? What the white house did he do to you?"

"Nothing, he did nothing." I answered. Alright, we all know that's not true. He asked me out, he dated me, he kissed me, he...did other things. All of which I loved.

"Could have fooled me." she responded.

It was almost getting to the point where she was pushing my buttons. Was she trying to imply things about Chad? What did she know about him anyway? Who gave Gabriella the right to make any kind of comment about my boyfriend?

"Just because his family is Republican doesn't give you the right to talk about him like this." I pointed out. But as soon as I realized what I said, I covered my mouth. No one was supposed to know that. Who was I kidding, no one was even supposed to find out! I could see Gabriella smirking now, and I knew that meant she was planning something. I didn't like it one bit.

"Gabriella..." I started.

"Thanks for the tip, Taylor. I'll be sure to look into that." she told me. "Way to disappoint your family. And your friends." Then she turned on her heel and left.

**Born in grief**

**Raised in hate**

The minute that school was over, I dashed out and made it to my house as fast as possible. I knew I was supposed to meet Chad, but I wouldn't be able to focus if I was with him. And sooner or later someone woulds ee us together and we'd both be in trouble. The one bright side, is that if I didn't see him then Gabriella or my parents wouldn't know who I was seeing. And then maybe if we were lucky enough we could keep sneaking around. But it wasn't looking too likely. And as soon as I ran into my house and saw Gabriella standing with my parents, all of them looking at me disappointed, I knew there was no chance.

"Something you want to tell us, young lady?" my mother scolded.

I dropped my backpack and stepped into the living room. "I can explain..." I started.

"Explain why you're sleeping with the enemy?" my father yelled. Needless to say...he hit the nail right on the head. More than I realized.

"What did Gabriella tell you?" I asked, almost afraid to know.

My mother turned to Gabriella. "you can go home now, dear. We have a lot of talking to do with Taylor. Thank you for warning us."

"You're welcome, Mrs. McKessie." Gabriella replied with a smile.

I shook my head and stared at Gabriella as she walked by me and towards the door. "Gabs why did you...?"

"It was for your own good." was all she told me before walking out.

**Helpless to defy his fate**

"Taylor, look at us!" my mother yelled again.

I gulped and slowly turned my head towards my parents.

"What do you think you're doing? Do you realize how badly this will make us look if word get out?" she screamed.

"You don't know what happened." I said.

"Oh I think we do! You sneak around behind our backs and sleep with our mortal enemy! You don't even stop to think about how that affects us, you just think about beind a sl-t!" my father yelled.

My eyes widened. I know they were my parents, but how could they make accusations like that about their own daughter?

"That's not true..." I started.

"Who is this boy?" my father demanded.

"I was coming home from school a few weeks ago. I was taking a short cut and got lost. He saved me from a group of thugs!" I explained.

"And that gives you the right to be seeing him?" he yelled.

"You can't tell me who I can and can't see." I shook my head.

"Taylor, if you don't tell us who this boy is then we will find out." my mother warned. "I've already taken the liberty of going through your things. I found a strand of hair on one of your dresses. I've sent it to the medical center."

My eyes widened. "You did what?"

"One of the doctors there is a very high Democrat around these parts. We haven't trusted anyone else with our health for years. One phone call and he'll be able to tell us exactly who you're seeing." mother explained.

"And if you force us to call then you will face very serious consequences." father added. "This boy you're seeing is not one of us, Taylor. How could you betray us like this? You're just as bad as those Danforths!"

"I'm not seeing a Danforth!" I gasped. "He's just a Republican. I don't care if he's not part of our party or not. I'm not going to stop seeing him!"

Before either of my parents could respond there was a knock at the door. I went to go answer it and I saw Chad standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" I gasped. This couldn't be the worst time for him to check on me.

"You weren't at our spot. I wanted to make sure everything was ok." Chad answered.

"Taylor is that the boy?" father yelled.

Chad bit his tongue. "I came at a bad time, didn't I?"

"Get in here!" father screamed.

I reluctantly walked Chad into the living room. As soon as my parents laid eyes on him, they gasped. Mother never looked so horrified and father never sounded so furious.

"I know you!" he yelled.

"Wait...what...?" Chad stammered, completely caught off guard.

My father turned to my mother. "Call the doctor now. Find out if I'm right."

Mother nodded and immediately started dialing the number.

**Let him run**

**Let him live**

**But do not forget**

**What we cannot forgive**

The second my mother got an answer, she hung up the phone angrily. She literally slammed it down.

"So it is true." she hissed.

"What's true?" I asked even though I didn't think I'd want to find out.

My mother pointed to Chad with nothing but hate in her eyes. "He's a Danforth!"

Remember a few minutes ago when I said my father hit the nail on the head about me sleeping with the enemy? And that the Mckessies and Danforths were enemies? Yes, that's the nail on the head.

I gasped and turned to Chad. "You're a Danforth?"

Chad seemed so taken back, like he wasn't expecting that reaction from me. I know, I sounded angry. Hurt. Used. Betrayed. He's the reason why my parents thought I turned my back on them. And thanks to the upbringing they gave me, well let's just say the family's hatred of the Danforth family was passed down from generation to generation. So now any feelings I had for him were completely turned around.

"Yeah..." he nodded hesitantly. "I mean I told you I was a Republican, but...."

"Well we're McKessies." my father sneered.

Chad's eyes widened and he turned to my father. "What?"

"That's right. You've been messing around with my daughter. Taylor McKessie." he replied.

Chad shook his head, looking in complete disbelief. "I had no idea...."

"Do you have any idea what grief your family has caused ours?" mother demanded.

Chad slowly shook his head. He looked completely clueless. I'm assuming that meant all he knew was that the Danforths and McKessies have been enemies for decades. But as for what else he was taught, it was only a matter of time before the truth came out.

**And he is not one of us**

**He has never been one of us**

**He is not part of us**

**Not our kind**

My mother folded her arms and stepped forward. "Our families used to be a political power duo. I'm sure you've been told the story of how your great grandfather and Taylor's great grandfather rose to power. Oh, a sneaky son of a gun your great grandfather was. He spent years earning our family's trust ever since there were hints of him drifting to the Republican side."

"And then he betrayed us in the worst possible way." my father continued coldly. "He wanted all that power for himself. Everything those two worked together to get, Danforth just snatched it away. And how did he do that? By killing my grandfather and spilling any secrets we had to the Republican party!"

"What?" Chad gasped.

"It's our word against yours, boy. There's no way your family could pin this on us. After all, it wasn't the Danforth that was brutally murdered." father replied icily. "And he was so close to getting into office, too. That man could have been his right hand partner, but no. He had to back stab him."

"That's not what I was told." Chad shook his head. "I mean I knew there was a big rivalry between our families, but my parents never said someone on my side killed anyone."

"Well of course they didn't! That would make them look bad." father scoffed.

"But I was told that it was McKessie that stole the power from my great grandfather. I mean, I knew he was shot during a big speech or something, but it wasn't my great grandad that did it. It was from one of his other enemies. We had nothing to do with that." Chad explained.

"a likely story!" father huffed. "And what did your parents tell you about going to the dark side?"

"They told me that our family was leaning more towards the Republican party. I don't know if they would've found a way to blend it with the Democrat party, but I'm sure they would have if they got the chance. I mean, they're still sort of Democratic now..." Chad said.

"I don't want to hear another word!" my mother yelled. "One more smart remark from you and I'm calling the police. And I'm sure if I request the cop that I want to come, then you'll be thrown in jail faster than you can say 'murderer'!"

**Someone once lied to us**

**Now we're not so blind**

Chad turned to me, like I was the only thing that mattered to him. "Tay, you have to believe me."

"Why should I?" I shook my head. "You lied to me, Chad! How could you do that?"

"I didn't know you were a McKessie!" he gasped.

"And I didn't know you were a Danforth!" I snapped. "When we were at dinner that one night you started talking about having a horrible enemy in the political world. You could have continued on and told me who they were! Maybe if you had come clean then, we could have tried to work something out!"

"What about you? would you have reacted the way you are now?" he gasped again.

"Well we'll never know now, will we?" I argued. "So if you know what's good for you then you'll get out!"

**For we knew he would do what he's done**

**And we know that you'll never be one of us**

"How can you say any of this to me? After all we've been through?" Chad questioned.

"I'm still stuck on how you could lie to me like you did!" I retorted. "I can't believe you, Chad. Do you know what we did?"

"I'm perfectly aware of everything we did together!" he nearly yelled.

"You know, all I've ever been told my whole life is what scums you Danforths are and that they're traitors. And now I know for sure because I've met one." I said coldly. "But you betrayed worse than my trust, Chad. you betrayed my heart."

**He is not one of us**

Chad opened his mouth to speak again, but the door burst open and a few cops came rushing in.

"We got a complaint about some trouble in here?" one of them asked.

"Yes sir." father nodded. He turned to me. "Taylor would you like to tell our friend what he needs to do?"

I looked at my parents, then back at Chad. It was a choice of family or...well, who I thought I had feelings for. It's either them or the person whose family betrayed mine. And right now Chad was giving me a kind of pleading look. Of course he wouldn't want to go to jail, but knowing my parents they'd find some way to throw him in there for a good couple of years or so. But I didn't care about that right now. I didn't care how much time Chad could spend in prison or whatever happened to him. I cared about how I felt. Not about us anymore, about me. and right now I couldn't feel more stabbed in the back.

"Taylor please, don't do this..." Chad begged.

And the eyes he was giving me...it was those eyes that would almost make me want to reconsider. The eyes that helped me fall for him.

**Deception**

**Disgrace**

I turned to the officer. "Take him away, please. He's harassing me."

"Yes ma'am." the officer nodded. He went over to Chad and grabbed his arms. Chad tried to escape, but of course resistance was futile.

"Wait...stop!" he practically begged. He looked at me again. "Taylor just listen to me, please..."

I shook my head at him. Even though my heart was trying to yell at me, my head was yelling louder.

"Get out of here, Chad. I never want to see your face again."

And then the last I saw of Chad was him getting forcibly dragged out by the cops and out of my life.

**Deception**

About a month or so had passed since then. My parents were constantly on the phone figuring out what to do about Chad. I didn't once ask to hear about it. I couldn't bare to after what he did to me. When it came right down to it, family ties were far more important than anything Chad ever told me. Just the mentioning of his name made my stomach turn and tie in knots. I couldn't even begin to count how many times I had to run to the bathroom hearing his name. I don't know what the reason is, guilt or stress or a virus, but I knew Chad had something to do with it somehow. Fortunately, I had Gabriella to help me out. I had gone straight to her house from school nearly every day of the week. I had to do something to occupy my time and keep my thoughts clear of...that guy.

There was one day in particular when I was at her house...let's just say something clicked. It started when we grabbed some snacks from the kitchen and went up to her room.

"I'm sorry I had to blab to your parents." Gabriella apologized for what must have been the three hundredth time in that time span. "I was just looking out for you."

"I know." I nodded. Gabriella had a weird way of showing it, but she was only looking to protect me. "I'm glad you told," I added with a sigh, "I just can't believe how long I lived that lie for."

"Well it's over now and you can move on with your life. We can focus on the important things." she told me.

"You're right." I nodded again. "Thanks for being there."

"No problem." she shook her head. "Now how about some snacks and let's get started on that physics homework."

I immediately decline. "Please, no. I couldn't eat anything now if I wanted to."

"Why, is everything ok?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"I think I caught something. I've been feeling so sick." I answered. "Everyday I don't spend all day running to the bathroom I'm starving for food. But then the days I do spend in the bathroom, I don't even want to smell food."

"Well how long has this been going on?" she inquired.

"I don't know." I shook my head. As efficient as I was, I was never a person to keep track of minor things so easily. "I lost track after a couple of weeks."

"It's not flu season. And viruses don't usually last that long." Gabriella said.

"I'm hoping if I don't think about it then it'll go away." I replied.

I got a suspicious look from Gabriella again. Honestly, I had enough of that look. I wish she'd give it a rest.

"Gabs what now?" I groaned.

"What if it doesn't go away?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" I shook my head.

"What if it's here to stay?" she replied.

"Not possible." I answered.

But she was still suspicious. And Gabriella knew well what would get me queasy. So she said the one thing I didn't want to hear, knowing it would send me off the edge.

"Have you heard about Chad?"

Yup, that did it. I got up and instantly ran to the bathroom. Every time I heard that name, no matter how I was feeling or where I was I just had to.... I just wish he could get out of my life for good. So I wouldn't have to hear his name anymore or think about him or realize how he played me. Once I finished puking what felt like my brains out, I clutched my stomach. I was starting to get the feeling that something defintiely didn't feel right. I just wasn't sure how bad it was. I slowly stood up, still clutching my stomach, and reluctantly returned to Gabriella's room. Her suspicious look was now an apologetic one/

"Sorry." he said. "Look don't waste your time worrying about...that guy. It's like your parents said, he's not one of us anyway. He's not worth it."

I shook my head, getting a sickening feeling in my stomach. I don't know what or how, but I think I finally got a feeling of what was wrong with me.

"Taylor?" Gabriella asked concerned. "Did you hear me?"

I could only give a nod. "Yeah...yeah, I heard you." I slowly turned my head and looked at her, and she knew something was up. It's like she was reading my mind right now; she had that effect. Everything made sense now. And I had this sinking feeling that if my parents found out, then I might as well be thrown in with...that guy. Because there was no way that they were going to like what I think I found out. I doubt that even Gabriella would like what I'm about to tell her.

"Taylor?" she asked again. "What's wrong?"

I looked her dead in the eyes, knowing I couldn't hide this. "Gabs I don't think I'm going to be one of you after this, either."

_To be continued...._

* * *

Oh wow that took a while! xD So yeah, this is going to be the two parter I was mentioning in the first a/n. I've been trying to brainstorm what songs to use, and this one came to my mind. I thought it'd be great for a to be continued thing...with a different song of course. So for all you guys who doesn't think it;s going to end Chaylor...oh come on, you know it's gonna happen. I'd never make them break up for permanent! That'd just be wrong. =0 I thoguht I'd start off the new year with something suspenseful and to keep you guys interested. As for my other stories, I'm in the process of figuring out what to do. I feel like I'm hitting a snag in the road...which really stinks for a month long vacation. Don't get me wrong, there are ideas, there are ideas in progress...it's just a matter of how to get back into it, you know? I blame laziness, mostly. Anyway, I can't wait to hear from you guys on the first chapter of the new year and what you think...or what you're waiting for. lol So again, even though it's past 2 am now and tecnically not New Year's Day anymore i still wish you all a happy new year, a happy new decade, and a happy 2010...whther it's 2,010 or 20 10! XD


	40. You Plus Me Equals One

Alright, I'm happy to say that these stories officially have reached over 100 reviews which i am really happy about. But i also want to apologize for making you guys wait a few extra days. One day I was busy and the others...I just wasn't in the writing mood for one reason or another. anyway, I'm sorry to have left you guys hanging with the last chapter so I'm making it up to you with this one. It will be the second part. And I'm aware that there was some confusion with the last chapter. I'll have everything explained in this chapter. What I'm also going to try to do with my writing is get a little more descriptive, which I'm going to try out this chapter and hope it works out successfully. So everyone, if you will, enjoy!  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

_Six months ago:_

It wasn't exactly the best choice of my life. Considering my family history and everything, I'd have to say it was just plain poor. I found something out while I was at Gabriella's house, and needless to say that she was confused. So I explained everything to her. It started when he had gotten me away from some thugs safely and we started seeing each other. Our first date had been at a restaurant; it was there that after we ate he asked me to be his girlfriend and we shared our first kiss. Then he'd taken me up to a private area. When I said it was the most magical night of my life...well, isn't that how it always is with a first time? Yeah, I slept with Chad. Gabriella didn't take it so well, but she knew I had made a mistake. Even I knew I made a mistake. As far as I knew, Chad was in jail. But no one had dared to tell me what was going on, because I didn't want to hear anything about it. So I pushed him out of my life. Of course I had to tell my parents, and they kicked me out. Gabriella's parents let me stay with them, only before my parents told them there was a wh-re sleeping under their roof. Luckily Gabriella found me a place to stay, at least until I was eighteen and able to move out. So now that you've known what I've gone through, let's skip ahead....

_Eight months later:_

I looked around my small apartment. I knew it wasn't much, but it was the best I could do. Gabriella's relatives had lived here and when they moved they left it to me. They took me in when no one else would. At least they weren't caught in the family businesses; when it came to politics, they were neutral. And at least Gabriella was still looking out for me. I was always the bigger sister trying to protect her. But she's just been so supportive of me and the baby that I was looking at her more of my big sister instead of my little sister. And if I needed her help now, I was wondering how I was going to manage the baby when it comes in a month. Even when I think about it, all I think about it...well, someone I really don't want to think about ever again. I should have known agreeing to be his girlfriend was a big mistake. But at least it was all over now. I was going to carry it to terms, and then it would be going up for adoption. It was that simple. Gabriella, on the other hand, didn't think so. Let's be honest, no matter what political party you're raised in, you're always going to have thoughts relating to the other side. And whether Democrats thought abortion was wrong or not, Gabriella thought it was wrong; she was the one who convinced me not to go through with it.

I involuntarily placed my hand to my stomach, becoming lost in my thoughts. That is, until Gabriella came inside and snapped me out of it.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"I've been better." I admitted, glancing out the window. "At least the morning sickness has been easing up."

"I mean, how have you really been doing?" Gabriella asked.

I could tell she was concerned. It was one thing where the food cravings, mood swings, or morning sickness got the better of me. But she knew very well that I'd been on edge for the past number of months. even the mentioning of his name made me snap.

"I'll be better when this is all over with." I admitted.

Gabriella walked over to me. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"And I'd really wish you'd stop asking me that." I sighed. "Really, after the first three months it got a little old."

"I'm sorry." she apologized. "But you know if you start growing an emotional attachment..."

"There is no emotion, attachment, or anything." I insisted. "I'm done. I'll just be glad when this last month is up."

And here she goes again with her speech on children. Gabriella has to have that motherly side to her. "A baby shouldn't be this kind of problem. There's supposed to be a lot of love towards it. It's a combination of two people. The perfect blend. It brings two people together and makes them one. And as much as I know you hate to hear it, that's what it is for you and him. It's a blessing, Tay. Maybe it can help you get over him."

"Not a chance." I shook my head, folding my arms.

"Why not?" Gabriella asked.

"This is all just a bad nightmare I want to wake up from. And when I give this baby up, it will be over." I answered.

Gabriella sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing. Besides I wouldn't want one of my mood swings to kick in either. and any stress that would be brought up, wouldn't be good for the baby either. Hey, it's not like I tried to have a miscarrage or anything, so I wasn't going to risk it now.

"Alright. But I just wish you would change your mind." Gabriella said. She turned around and then left the apartment.

**As you go through life you'll see**

**There is so much that we**

**Don't understand**

I sighed and went over to the couch. I picked up the remote, turning on the TV and beginning to flip through channels. I just wanted to get my mind off of everything. About people at school finding out and pointing fingers, about my parents kicking me out, about Gabriella's parents judging me so quickly, about him...everything. Urg, I wish he would get out of my head already! I decided to take my frustration out on the remote and angrily and quickly frlip through the channels. Just nothing to do with teen drama or anything like that, I've had enough already. Stopping at one of the Disney channels, I sighed with relief and put the remote down. At least there's mostly kid stuff on there and nothing to do with teen drama. Well, not real world teen drama. More like people finding out about being a wizard or pop star. I took a deep breath and shortly after decided to work on the breathing exercises I learned.

I then turned my attention to the TV where it looked like the Lion King. I'm assuming it was the second one, because an adult Simba was talking to a small female cub. I shook my head, but decided to go along with watching it anyway. I listened to the song they were currently singing, not like I had much of a choice.

**_And the only thing we know_**

**_Is things don't always go_**

**_The way we planned_**

Boy wasn't that the truth. There was no way nothing was going the way I planned. I decided to lean back and just keep watching.

**_But you'll see every day_**

**_That we'll never turn away_**

**_When it seems all your dreams come undone_**

**_We will stand by your side_**

**_Filled with hope and filled with pride_**

I placed my hand back to my stomach. I could feel the kicking. I finally brought myself to look down at it. I had barely ever realized how big my stomach had gotten. There were times where i wanted to forget everything, so I would ignore what was going on with me. And now it was almost like I could see right through me, like I could see a little boy or girl just begging to come out. I hadn't even asked to find out what the sex of the baby would be because I thought I would become attached to it. But now I wanted to know. I wanted to know what I was carrying. There was something about thinking about him or her that gave me a satisfaction. Something I haven't felt in months.

**_We are more than we are_**

**_We are one_**

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a knock at the door. I pulled my gaze away from my stomach and turned off the TV. I carefully got off the couch and looked over to the door. I wondered who it could be. Not Gabriella, since she would usually either just walk in or say it was her with one knock and then walk in. So it had to be someone else. The question was, who. Hardly anyone came by at all. I walked over to the door, deciding to see who was there. I opened the door and before I knew it I was standing face to face with one of the last people I ever wanted to see. The person who I'd been trying to push out of my mind. The person who I wanted absolutely nothing to do with. Chad.

**If there's so much I must be**

**Can I still just be me**

**The way I am?**

"What are you doing here?" I hissed. I don't know if I wanted to sound that harsh or not, but I just wanted to send him the message that I didn't want him here. Obviously Chad didn't get it because he was still here.

"I wanna talk to you." he answered, reaching out to me.

I forced his hand out of the way. "I don't want you here. Get out of my home."

"Tay please can we talk?" Chad asked.

"Don't 'Tay' me." I warned. "There's nothing for us to talk about. What are you even doing here? You're supposed to be in jail."

"My parents bailed me out. Turned out I didn't do anything wrong. But you're treating me like I did do something wrong." he answered.

"Because you did do something wrong. you lied to me." I replied.

"And you lied to me, too." he said. "You could have said any time you were a McKessie but you didn't."

"And would you have still dated me even if I was? Would you have still told me who you were or would you just have kept on lying?" I demanded.

Chad opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He gave one shake of his head before just blurting out, "I don't know, ok?"

"Well then get out of my life!" I insisted. I groaned and quickly grabbed my stomach when I felt a sharp pain. Oh man, did it really want attention now?

**Can I trust in my own heart**

**Or am I just one part**

**Of some big plan?**

"Tay are you ok?" Chad asked me, obviously sounding concerned.

I jerked away from him. "I'm fine. It's none of your business."

"no Taylor, it is my business. Especially if you're pregnant." he replied.

I had just been ready to head for the couch when my head snapped back to him. "What?"

Chad shook his head. "Tay there's no way you've gained any weight. At least not that way. It's either that or you're pregnant. I can tell."

"So what?" I snapped. "You're not going to have anything to do with it! Because as soon as it comes, it's gone. I'm giving it away. I don't want anything to do with you in my life and that includes this! I don't need it and I don't need you!"

Chad shook his head. Why wasn't this boy willing to give up? He was stressing me out, and that was not supposed to be happening. "I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry about everything. Don't I get a say in what's going on?"

I couldn't take this anymore. There was no way I was ever going to admit that I needed Chad for anything. I was over him and I was done with us. Chad had to get out of my life completely. And if he wasn't going to leave willingly, then I was going to have to push him out.

"I'm going out.." I said icily. "And when I come back I don't want to see you. I want you out of my apartment and out of my life." Then I walked right past him and stormed out of the building.

**Even those who are gone**

**Are with us as we go on**

**Your journey has only begun**

I just found myself wandering around town, keeping as much to myself as possible. I didn't want anything to do with anyone right now. I just wanted to be alone...well, as alone as I could get anyway. I have no idea how long I walked around for, but I eventually ended up just sighing and planting myself down by one of the ponds in town. I sat down, crossing my legs to the best of my ability and folded my arms across my chest. I blew some hair out of my face, trying everything I could to push Chad out of my mind. I didn't need him. I wanted him out of my life. I wanted everything that ever reminded me of him to be gone. He lied to me and he hurt me.

Well...alright, so I suppose I sort of lied to him, too. I could have told him any time who I was, just like he could have done with me, but I didn't. However, that doesn't change how everything went down. But it was still Chad's fault. He was the one who...the one who....

Who am I kidding? I want to blame all of this on Chad, but I can't. I just can't completely hate him no matter how much I want to. What's wrong with me?

I shook my head, trying to force myself back into the reality of things. I moved a strand of hair out of my face and looked down at the lake. It was hard, since water didn't really show reflections, but I sort of saw me in it. At least, I think I did. But it was only half of me. Literally half. My whole left side was reflected just enough in the pond for me to see it, but my right side was nothing but a shadow. It was like something was missing. Something that couldn't be replaced by anything else.

I finally sighed and wrapped my arms around my stomach. I shut my eyes tightly and took deep breaths, trying not to get upset. But somehow I just felt the need to ask myself,

"What am I doing?"

**Tears of pain, tears of joy**

**One thing nothing can destroy**

"what are you doing?"

I turned around to see who was talking to me, despite the fact that the voice was so familiar. Standing right behind me I could see Chad. He looked disappointed. Maybe upset. I could have told him to leave, but something stopped me.

"I don't know." I admitted softly, shaking my head.

I looked away from him, but Chad walked over next to me. "Is this seat taken?" he wondered.

"No." I shook my head again.

He nodded and sat down next to me, but kept some distance between us. I guess he still thought I was furious with him. I had no idea why Chad had followed me out when I specifically told him not to, but I guess i was sort of glad he did follow me. I could really use something right now. Maybe some advice, some cheering up...I don't know. But I did need something.

"I'm sorry." Chad sighed. "you're right, everything is my fault. Hanging out with you, asking you out, lying to you, jumping right to third base on the first date and knocking you up...."

"It's not." I interrupted him with a breath. "It's my fault, too. We both lied about who we were and it messed us up."

Chad turned his head to me; I could feel his eyes on me. "You know you turned me into the bad guy."

I wish he wouldn't rub it in my face. "I know. And I'm sorry." I apologized. "Everything my family ever stood for, their history and everything...I let all that get to me because that's how I was raised. And I chose that over my own judgment."

Chad leaned back and looked out at the pond. It looked like he was thinking about something. "You know, when I first found out you were a Mckessie, I didn't know what to think. I wanted to hate you cause that's what I was brought up to do. I wanted to think that we both just wasted our time and it wasn't meant to be. But something inside me just couldn't do that. That's why I was begging you so bad at your house. And then you just told them to take me away. And I really thought you hated me that much, so it made sense for me to hate you, too. I didn't spend a lot of time in the slammer, I mean my parents bailed me out almost right away. But they were disappointed. I told them I'd never see you again. But I just couldn't believe that myself. I started thinking, so what if we're from opposite ends? Who cares what other people think? What matters is what we think. And I'm tired of all these rivalries, competition, backstabbing...everything. I wanna get away from this friggen political world and live like normal people. Watch what's going on with politicians and be glad I'm not them, not the other way around."

That was when my head snapped right back to Chad. Everything he said...the point he was trying to make...where he was coming from...how he felt...everything.... It was all the exact same way I had felt. It was all what I had always complained about before meeting him. and then when I did start hanging out with Chad, I thought about how relieved I was to be with someone who didn't care about politics. Someone who was as down to earth as I was. Someone who would just be company. Someone who I could be myself around. And that was Chad. Suddenly I felt horrible about everything I put us through. No, I felt horrible for everything I put him through. All he'd been trying to do was win me back and say how he felt about all of this. After all, he had the right to and I just shunned him. Everything that happened to me was my fault and I deserved every bit of it. I felt like I back stabbed him. That I became like my parents. That I did the one thing I swore I would never do.

**Is our pride, deep inside**

**We are one**

"You know, that's exactly the same thing I would always complain to Gabriella about." I admitted softly. "All the time I spent with you was the happiest I've ever been and I was just so quick to throw it away. To throw away everything that ever reminded me about you."

"Including the baby?" Chad wondered.

I was ashamed to admit that at one point I had considered abortion. But I wasn't going to tell Chad that. Something told me he'd be completely crushed. And something else told me that he wanted this baby, whether I did or not.

"I guess so." I said quietly, refusing to meet his gaze.

"You know...that baby is both of us." Chad said after a minute. "It's both of us all in one person. I know it's not gonna be a perfect combination, that it'll probably be more like one of us than the other...but it's still us. And right now there's a little piece of me in you. That baby brings us together, Tay. We are one."

I allowed myself to turn my head to him. "Gabriella told me pretty much the same thing. And I was still so willing to give it up."

"Are you still gonna do that?" Chad asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know." I sighed.

"Well it's not because of me still, is it?" he replied.

"No, that's not it at all." I answered. At least, not anymore. "I got kicked out of my family, Chad. They blabbed to Gabriella's family and they kicked me out before I could even get settled in there. I'm stuck living in some decrepit apartment with people who took me in for a few months paying the rent. It wouldn't exactly be the best way to raise a child now, would it?"

He stared at me blankly, like he was trying to take it in or something. He must have eventually seen my point, because soon enough he did give a nod.

"I guess you're right." he admitted. "But it's my kid, too. I think I deserve a say in what's going on."

"You didn't even know for almost nine months." I replied.

"No, but it's not too late to get in its life. And it's gonna have one before we know it." Chad explained. "One thing I know my folks did teach me right, is to know where my loyalty lies. And mine is with you. But if you don't think so then...then I'll deal with it or something. But if you don't want the baby then let me take it. I'll raise it. Whether my parents help out all not."

"you're not doing it all by yourself." I shook my head. "You said it yourself, the baby's us molded into one."

"And isn't that how we were before everything fell apart?" Chad suggested.

**We are one, you and I**

**We are like the earth and sky**

**One family under the sun**

"Well you are right about that." I agreed. "But one thing you aren't right about..." I looked him right in the eyes before I continued. I needed to know that I was making the right choice here. And it wasn't entirely my head telling me this. I was listening to my heart now, too. And it was screaming louder than my head. And I knew right then that I was making the right choice, because I could see the amount of concern and love in his eyes. "...is that I don't think our loyalties are with each other. Because I do."

Chad blinked in surprise, like he never expected me to say that. I'm assuming that meant he really thought we weren't getting back together.

"Really?" he gasped.

"Really." i nodded. "And technically I'm not a McKessie anymore so we wouldn't be going against anyone or any rules..." As I spoke a small smile came across my face, knowing I had a point.

I could see a smile growing on Chad as well; he must have known exactly where I was going. "So technically we're not archenemies anymore..." he continued.

"And no one can tell us who to be with or what to do..." I added, my smile growing.

"Which means we can do anything we want." Chad grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

I was starting to get really hopeful now. Anything bad that ever happened was just melting away. Everything was coming back together, just like it should be. And I was starting to feel about as good as the minute my eyes first set on Chad.

"Does this mean you'll take me back?"

Chad didn't even look like he needed to give it a second thought. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!" he exclaimed.

I couldn't help but squeal with excitement as we pulled each other into the tightest hug possible. It wasn't even long before it was a repeat of our first date, where we started kissing. He pulled me into his lap and wrapped his arms around me, of course remembering to be careful around the stomach area, and my arms wrapped themselves around his neck. I could feel his heart beating against me, and that only made me more excited. One of my hands grabbed onto his shirt and the other buried itself in his wonderful curly locks. He wasted no time pulling me closer and deepening the kiss, leading to us battling for dominance. He kept one arm securely around me and moving his other hand to my stomach, gently rubbing it; he must have gotten the idea that it would make me weak in the knees and give him the victory. But as true as that was, I was still fighting him. I even went so far as to start tugging on his shirt. It didn't seem like that did too much, because it only made his kisses more intense. I ended up taking a strand of his hair and twisting it around my finger profusely, easily getting a moan to escape him.

He pulled away from me, what I called quickly but what he might have considered slowly, and we were breathing heavily, begging for some air. My hand had moved onto his shoulder with my other hand gripping his hair, and while one of his arms never once was removed from my back, his free one had scooted down to my leg. We were just sitting there breathing heavily in each others' faces and staring each other right in the eyes. Finally, through numerous breaths, Chad managed to break the silence.

"Maybe we should take this back to your place?"

**All the wisdom to lead**

**All the courage that you'll need**

I couldn't have felt more relieved after that. Because when we had pulled apart just enough to get up, Chad looked over at our reflections in the water. And there was the missing part of me. Practically blended together in the pond were our reflections, my left side completed with his right side. We were one person. That was what I had been missing this entire time. The void that has been there for the past eight months was filled again. Everything really did feel right with the world. And right then and there, just sitting beside Chad and seeing that I was whole again, was the best thing I could have ever asked for. It made me feel better than I had in what felt like ages. And I would have given anything for it not to end. Chad and Gabriella had been right the whole time. We were one. But it wasn't for the reason they originally thought.

Less than a month later, Chad and I had a beautiful baby girl. And when the adoption council that I had originally called came to get her, I said I changed my mind and it was never happening. Now all Chad and I had to do was figure out a nice place to move to, away from all the anarchy of Washington, DC. Everything was being planned out. I would continue my education while Chad would take a few night classes and jump right into a job, and we'd bring up our own little family together. And since neither of our families wanted a part in it, too bad for them. But Gabriella agreed to move out around to wherever we'd plan to settle down and be the baby's aunt. The second that was decided, Chad already started planning on setting her up with someone. But honestly, I didn't completely care whether Gabriella joined us or not. I loved that she supported me and I loved her like a sister, but I didn't need her constantly checking up on me and seeing if I was alright or not. All I needed now was Chad right by my side. Because from the second our daughter was born, we both knew we'd be together forever.

Now all we have to do was pick out the perfect name for her.

**You will find when you see**

**We are one**

* * *

Another chapter done! Feel free to share your feelings. I thought the song (We Are One from The Lion King 2) would fit the situation pretty well. but like I said, i like to hear what you guys think, too. Now, I really hope you guys are reading down here cause I'm putting up a poll on my profile as to what story I should do next. I haven't been getting into Who Do You Love as much as I've wanted to, and if I don't believe what I'm writing then obviously I can't write it. But for those of you guys reading, I will put up an a/n in there and give a full explanation. Now, only one person who's reviewed any of my stories (or 2, i forget) has posted in my Disney Crossovers forum (the link is on my profile, no spaces), so that's what I'm doing the poll for. My original idea for the next Disney Crossover was Oliver & Company, but then MermaidRam posted in there and we discussed Little Mermaid and Cinderella. I know she's also planning a Disney Crossover with one of those so although I'll put up those two choices, I don't want to write the same one she is. I was originally intending to have each HSM girl have their own princess story, but I'm sorry to say that Chaylor is my complete comfort zone right now and writing a story completely focusing on another couple will not be something I can see through. So any Disney story I write, there will be a Chad and Taylor pairing, period (which I know you guys will love). I'm going to repeat this, for the most part, in the poll. But anyone who has other suggestions, PM me, post in the forum, anything you like! I want to write something I know I'll enjoy and I want to write something that you guys want to read...and let's be honest, we all grew up with some form of Disney so how can any of us say no to that? XD Thanks for listening everyone....or, rather reading everyone! lol


	41. Puppy Buying

Ok so I wanna say sorry for taking so long to update this. I've had a song in mind to use next, and it was just a matter of coming up with a story line for it. So i figured while there's just a little free time tonight, it's easier than getting a whole chapter of Cinderella up next. But no worries guys, I promise I will get it up soon. If i don't have a lot of homework this week, then hopefully around the weekend or something. Didn't help much that I was sick this week either, but I think I'm getting over it. Like I said, I'm really sorry to keep you guys all waiting. I hope this makes up for it.  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

"Oh Chad how about this one?"

Chad turned away from some of the kennels and his brown eyes fell on a small golden retriever panting and happily wagging it's tail. It got on its hind legs and scratched on the cage. Chad shook his head and glanced at his girlfriend Taylor, not really getting into the idea.

"I dunno Tay, don't retrievers have a lot of fur?" he asked.

Taylor sighed and stood up, facing him. "Chad we live together now. We agreed that having a pet would make the house feel more like a home. And we also agreed on a puppy. The only thing we can't seem to agree on is the breed."

"Or gender." Chad added.

"Or an exact age." she admitted.

"Or who's gonna walk and clean up after it." he said.

"No, you said you'd do that." Taylor pointed at him.

His eyes widened. "I never said that."

"Yes you did. Just last week." she nodded.

"But I didn't..." he started.

Before Chad could say anymore, a middle aged gentleman in a vest with a cat's head on it walked over. "Have either of you found a dog yet?" he asked.

"No sir, we're still looking." Taylor shook his head.

"Take your time. We're open till eleven." the man said before walking away.

Chad folded his arms. "That guy owns the store, he should be helping us."

"Don't be a baby, hun." Taylor told him. "Look, we're not going to get anywhere by arguing."

"Fine." Chad pouted, folding his arms like a little kid.

Taylor rolled her eyes, knowing exactly how to make him act his age. "If I kiss you will you behave?"

"Yes." he answered quickly.

Taylor smiled and pecked his cheek. "Come on, let's keep looking."

"Alright." Chad nodded before glancing around the kennels again.

**Cruella De Vil**

**Cruella De Vil**

**If she doesn't scare you**

**No evil thing will**

Chad and Taylor had been dating for almost three years, now. They started in senior year of high school and went on through the first year of college. It had started with Chad staying at home and Taylor going away. Realizing that something was missing, they somehow found the perfect college for both of them. It was one that had an extraordinary basketball team for Chad, and a highly respected science department for Taylor. After their first semester of dorming there, they had found a fairly cheap place of their own to move to. It was only six months ago that they had been able to gather enough money to buy the place; as soon as the original family had moved out, Chad and Taylor spend their vacation settling in.

But something was still missing. Sure the house had everything of theirs. It had furniture, space for both of them, luxury items, and more. But it just didn't feel complete without something. There was an emptiness to the house. They had finally come to the conclusion that they needed a pet. It would make it feel more like a home. It was fairly easy to eliminate which animals not to get. Chad was allergic to cats, fish wouldn't live very long, bunnies multiplied too fast, and Taylor wasn't always a fan of rodents. That left a dog, which they were both thrilled with. The couple only did minimal research before starting the search for the perfect pet. They had two completely different tastes in what kind of dog they wanted.

Taylor wanted a lap dog. One with not too much fur like a collie and not vicious like a German Shepherd. Even if she wanted a bigger dog such as those, she wanted a friendly one who could be on its own for a while. One that didn't constantly crave attention, get overexcited, or was known to bite. She had done far more research on dogs than Chad, but even she was still unsure of the perfect dog.

Chad wanted a big dog that he could wrestle with, one that he could run around with. He didn't want some prissy little dog like a poodle. Not that Taylor wanted one either, they tossed the idea of having a poodle right out the door from the first second. He wasn't even sure what kind of dog he wanted other than that. Just not one that would always knock him down or bite his butt.

**To see her is to take a sudden chill**

"See any yet?" Taylor inquired still looking.

"Not yet." Chad shook his head. He was seeing numerous breeds of dogs. Labradors, great danes, cocker spaniels, Shar Pei, huskies....

Taylor sighed and walked over to Chad. "We need to narrow it down. We have to agree on something for a dog."

Chad scratched his head, "Well we agreed not to turn the dog into a fur coat."

Taylor rolled her eyes. As she moved her hands to her hips she could see a much older woman covered in nothing but fur wandering around the kennels just admiring the dogs. Any chance the woman got, she stuck her skimpy fingers through the cages and massaged the dogs' furs in some devilish manner.

"Can't say the same for her." Taylor muttered.

Chad glanced in the direction. "Yeah she is creepy." he agreed. Then he shook his head. "But we can't worry about that now."

"You're right." she nodded. "So do we want a male or female?"

"Male." Chad answered.

"Female." Taylor retorted.

Well that didn't work.

"What about size?" Taylor sighed.

"Big." Chad responded.

"Small." she gasped.

And that didn't work out either. As if it wasn't already hard enough. This was going to be even harder than expected. In the meantime they were surrounded by all these dogs barking, scratching the cages, or wagging their tails begging to be adopted.

**Cruella, Cruella**

**She's like a spider waiting for the kill**

**Look out for Cruella De Vil**

Taylor ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. This was just too much to deal with over one little dog. Maybe they really were better off with a hamster. All they'd have to do was make sure it had food and water, and the cage would be cleaned out once a week. It'd be so much easier to find a good hamster to get. They wouldn't have all these arguments. But then as Taylor turned her head, her eyes fell on one of the puppies. It was definitely small, definitely old enough to have been weened off of a mother's milk. Of course if it was toilet trained that'd make the decision easier. But there was something about this puppy. Its body almost suggested that of a cocker spaniel. Most of its fur color was white and had a few black spots around it. Its pair of big brown eyes looked like it was just begging to be picked up.

"Hey Chad, look at this one." Taylor said, getting his attention.

Chad turned to her and walked over, eying the dog. "That is one hairy Dalmatian."

Taylor shook her head. "It's not a Dalmatian. A Dalmatian would probably be bigger and wouldn't have that much fur." She studied the breed for a minute before trying to make more assumptions. "And its ears would be shorter, and I think its legs would be a tad skinnier."

"Ok so then what is it?" Chad asked, ever the clueless one.

"Best way to find out is to ask the expert." she shrugged her shoulders. She looked in the direction of the salesman. "Excuse me, sir?"

The man, whose name tag read Frank, heard her and walked over. "Have you two finally agreed on a pet?"

Taylor pointed to the puppy in question. "What can you tell us about this one?"

He looked at her and nodded. "That there is spaniel."

"Aren't there numerous types of spaniels?" Taylor asked. "English cocker spaniels, American cocker spaniels..."

"Well like most of our other dogs around here, it's definitely a mutt. Can't tell you what the rest of it is." he replied.

Taylor and Chad exchanged glances. That still wasn't being any help. Might as well find out if he knew anything other than that. After all if he knew the breed then eh'd be able to tell them more about it. Hopefully he would remember what other breeds were in the mix as well.

"Would it make a good house pet?" Taylor asked.

"Oh yeah, definitely." he nodded.

"Is it a big dog?" Chad wondered.

He shook his head, "Nah. Medium."

The couple exchanged glances. Maybe they were on to something. After all, medium sounded like a pretty good compromise. Taylor looked back at the salesman, "Would it be good with kids?"

Chad looked at her wide-eyed. "Kids? What kids?" he gasped.

Taylor quirked an eyebrow. "My niece and nephew..." she answered slowly, hoping he'd remember. "You know, the ones we agreed to watch for my sister. They're five and two."

"Oh right...those kids...." Chad realized, hoping he didn't look like a total idiot.

"probably not best to leave the dog alone with kids. Spaniels can get aggressive." Frank said. He studied the puppy for a minute. "But if you'd like I can see if I can find out what else this little guy is. But if it's a male I highly don't recommend it."

"That would be really great, thanks." Taylor nodded. "Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"Well it's definitely loyal. But you might wanna make sure that you have something to keep it busy. It was originally a type of hunting dog or something like that." he answered.

Taylor glanced at Chad. "That could be good for you."

"Well maybe it could help me practice basketball." Chad thought aloud.

"You know it's not any Air Bud." the salesman muttered.

"Well, we appreciate the help." Taylor said trying to get the man's attention. "Is there any way we can hold it?"

"Sure thing." Frank replied. He took out a set of keys and unlocked the cage. He took the puppy out and handed it to Chad, but Chad took a step back and held up his hands.

"It's not gonna wizz on me is it?" Chad asked.

"It's trained." Frank sighed. He briefly glanced at the puppy. "And it's apparently a she." He then handed the dog to Chad. "Enjoy." Then he went to the front to search the dog on his profile.

**At first you think Cruella is a devil**

**But after time has worn away the shock**

Chad just stared empty-minded at the puppy, who was too busy panting and wagging her tail to notice. Taylor couldn't help but giggle. She got up and lightly took the puppy from Chad.

"She's a cutie." she observed.

"Maybe this would be a good dog." Chad said as he tried remembering everything they'd been told. "Think we can afford it?"

"Maybe." Taylor shrugged her shoulders. She sat down took a moment to observe the dog. "Not that much hair...bright eyes, wet nose..."

Chad chuckled. "Sounds more like you're making sure it's healthy."

"Well that is important, too." Taylor noted. "And she seems so well behaved, too."

Chad glanced at the dog. She was just sitting quietly in Taylor's lap panting and wagging her tail. When Taylor pet her, she rolled over and ended up getting a belly rub. He also took in a moment to look at Taylor's reaction. She was enjoying this puppy, he could tell. She even scratched her ear which then had the puppy sit up and lick her cheek. Taylor giggled when that happened and just kept scratching the dog's head. It wasn't some special magical moment. It wasn't like something major was happening to show that this was the dog for them. It almost looked like an owner playing with her puppy. That could have been the only sign that they needed.

"You really like this one, don't you?" he guessed.

"I guess I do." Taylor said. "What do you think?"

Chad sat down and looked at the puppy. She turned to Chad and wagged her tail. Chad tilted his head. "You're not gonna attack me are you?"

The dog just seemed confused. Then she started running in circles around him. Chad tried his best to keep up with her. "Hey where do you think you're going?" He then just managed to pick her up and, before Chad knew it, the puppy was licking him all over the face. "Hey! Hey knock it off!" he laughed.

Taylor smiled slyly and folded his arms. "So I'm not the only one who likes her am i?"

"Alright, alright you're not." Chad gave in before just managing to pull the dog off of him. He then handed her to Taylor. "You think this is the one?"

"I think it is." Taylor replied, taking her and rubbing her head.

Chad nodded. "Then maybe we will get her. If we can afford it anyway."

"Really?" her eyes lit up.

"If you like it, I'm all for it." Chad said. Forget about what he wanted, it was best just to keep his girl happy. Plus, if it made him happy then it was a win-win.

"Chad thank you!" she exclaimed before wrapping her arms around him.

Chad smiled and hugged her back. "Anything for you, babe."

"Well looks like you finally came to an agreement." the salesman's voice was heard as he walked back over.

The pair pulled apart and looked up at him.

"I guess we did." Chad said.

"Yes, well..." Frank said pulling out the papers he'd printed out, "it looks like what you've got here is a purebred spaniel."

Taylor gasped. "You're joking!"

"No I am not." he said before handing them the papers.

Chad took them and read them over. Taylor held the puppy and looked over Chad's shoulder, reading along with him. It had so much information on the dog. Everyone knew purebreds were expensive and this was no exception. They were both in such disbelief, thinking the same thing. They couldn't afford it.

**You've come to realize**

**You've seen her kind of eyes**

**Watching you from underneath a rock**

"A purebred spaniel? How marvelous!" a woman's voice gasped.

They turned their heads to see the woman in the fur coat who'd been eying just about every dog in the kennel.

Chad automatically stood up, assuming protection over them. "so what if it is?"

The woman wasted no time before pulling out her checkbook. "I'd be more than happy to pay top dollar for that creature. How much is it?"

"Sorry ma'am, but I'm afraid these two are already looking at adopting her." the salesman said.

"But we can't-" Taylor started, but was shushed by Chad. Even though they both knew how hard it would be to afford the puppy, there was no way they could let this devil woman take her. She didn't look like a lady to be trusted at all. Even the dog didn't think so; taking one look at the woman and she was growling. Now even Taylor's careful petting could calm her down.

"Then I'll outbid them." the woman said. "Come now, don't be shy. Tell me how much."

"I don't think you heard him. We're already looking at this puppy for adoption. Find some other dog you won't turn into a fur coat." Chad said pretty much putting down the checkbook for her.

She gasped dramatically. "How dare you think I do that to any dog!"

Chad pointed to her hat, "Is that sheep or poodle?"

"Is that some of your business?" she hissed.

Taylor shook her head. She made sure she had a good hold on their possible pet before standing up and eying this woman confidently. "What right do you have to just assume you can have this dog?"

"Well darling I have just as much right as you do." she shrugged her shoulders innocently.

She rolled her eyes. Oh yeah, this...insert bad name here...was asking for it. "Then how about you give us one good reason why you should have her. Would you feed her? Play with her? Take care of her? Walk her? Clean up after her?"

"I'll have my people take care of it. And I assure you I can afford the finest dog food on the market. It'll be fattened up in no time." the lady shook her finger.

"You cannot just fatten up this poor creature. She needs love and attention." she insisted.

"Oh relax, doll. I'm not entering her for a dog show or whipping her to death." she rolled her eyes.

"And we're just supposed to think you're not some modern-day Cruella De Vil." Chad said sarcastically.

"That's Ms. Vil to you, bud." the lady answered before poking Chad's chest.

Taylor glared at her. She wasn't sure what she hated about her more: the attitude, the idea that she'd really turn a little house pet into a fur coat, or that she was actually touching her boyfriend.

"No how much for this creature?" Ms. Vil asked. "Five thousand? Nine thousand?" She must have assumed the cat - or in this case, dog - was already in the bag, because she already started writing on the check.

Chad practically knocked down the checkbook. "What part of 'not for sale' don't you understand?"

"Oh please, like you could really afford a purebred." she rolled her eyes.

Taylor looked at Chad. "Can we...?" She was more of a math expert than him, but even Chad had some decent money managing skills. Between the two of them they just had to think of something. There was no way this woman was getting the dog. And if it were up to this fierce couple, there was no way she'd get the other dogs either.

Chad tried his best to maintain a strong and hard composure, but he could easily tell it'd be hard. "I don't know." he sighed.

"Very well then. Ten thousand for this spaniel." Ms. Vil said. She was ready to hand the check to Frank when he wouldn't let her go of it.

"Sorry, but these two had the floor." he said. "They saw her first and there is a set price. They need to see if they can afford her first."

Taylor and Chad exchanged glances before looking at the dog. The poor thing was just looking back and forth, seeming so confused now. What were they going to do?

**This vampire bat, this inhuman beast**

**She ought to be locked up and never released**

Frank could see the worry in their eyes. He sighed and took out a notepad and pen. "Tell you what, folks. I'm gonna write down a number on this paper. It'll be the absolute cheapest a dog of this calliber could be sold at. You tell me if you can afford it or not."

"That would be great. Thank you." Taylor replied, hoping it'd be a little more reasonable than they'd expect.

The man wrote the price, then tore the paper out of the notepad and handed it to Chad. Chad took a deep breath before allowing himself to look at the paper. His face seemed expressionless for a moment, then his face fell and he showed the price to Taylor. He wouldn't know off the top of his head if they could afford it. If anyone would know, Taylor would. Taylor glanced at the price, back at Chad, then at the price once more. She then looked away, though it was hard to tell if it was from depression that it was too expensive or if she was trying to figure something out. And even in times like this it could be hard, Taylor was sure to have a poker face on. Neither of them would want this Cruella De Vil type person thinking right off the bat she could have the puppy now. Once she allowed herself to look back at Chad, Taylor inched her head over to the side.

"Chad can I talk to you in private for a moment?" she asked.

"Sure thing." he nodded.

Taylor gently handed the puppy to Frank before following Chad over. All they could hear were the pup's whines, begging for her potential owners to come back.

"So what do you think Tay?" Chad asked quietly, just to be sure that no one would hear them.

She sighed, knowing sugar coating this would be pointless. "It's going to be a tough fix. We're not exactly the richest people around. Most of the money we earn goes to books for school, the house, our car..."

"There's gotta be something. That's the only dog we can agree on. You love that little guy." he said.

"Girl." she corrected.

"That too." Chad nodded. "Did you crunch the numbers? Do the super nerd calculator thingy in your head?"

"I did." Taylor admitted. "And it's going to be tight."

"How tight are we talking?" he wondered.

Taylor let out another sigh, "I'm not saying it means we have to take everything out of the bank but there's going to be some major cut backs. It's a question of whether or not we can handle those."

"What are they?" he didn't hesitate to ask.

Taylor counted off each one with a finger, "We'll have to use as many coupons as possible when we go food shopping, we'll be lucky if we could eat out once a month..."

"Anything more important we should worry about?" Chad replied.

She hesitantly met his gaze. "You know that money we've been saving to go to Disney Land after we graduate?"

"Yeah..." he nodded slowly.

"That money's going to have to go to anything the dog needs. We might even have to see if it goes to buying the dog." she answered.

"No Magic Kingdom?" Chad groaned.

"Afraid not." she admitted, knowing how much Chad was looking forward to that trip. It was something they'd been planning since freshman year. That was the one thing they'd both been wanting. Any job they worked and any money they'd been sent for birthdays or holidays, part of that had gone into their Disney Land fund.

"How much is in the piggy bank?" he shuddered to ask.

"I haven't counted recently, but I'm estimating maybe about three hundred or so." she answered.

And it looked like it was going to have to wait. But it wasn't necessarily the dog that was as expensive as everything it would need. Actually purchasing the dog was the tip of the iceberg. Food, bowls, leash, trips to the vet, toys, brushes...those were all things any dog would need. Put all of that together and it wasn't cheap. While they were originally thinking of the dog in general, putting everything together was what made it a hard bargain. It had to be done somehow. The love and affection of a small, loyal animal was more important than anything else they needed.

Chad looked over at the puppy, then back at Taylor. "I'll handle this." he told her before walking back over.

**The world was such a wholesome place until**

"So when do I get the puppy?" Ms. Vil asked right away.

Chad folded his arms and held the ground. "Never." he answered firmly. He turned to Frank. "We'll take the dog."

"What?" Ms Vil gasped, her jaw dropping.

"Excellent." the man nodded. "I'll go get the adoption papers all ready." He opened the cage and put the puppy back in. "I'll be back to get you out shortly. Be a good girl until I come back." He locked the cage and then went back to the front.

Whatever was going on, the dog sure seemed to understand something. She was wagging her tail and barking happily.

"I don't believe this! How could this have happened?" Ms. Vil questioned. "I was willing to pay much more than that thing is even worth! I would have been rich with that dog!"

"Too bad, Cruella." Chad smirked. "Find some fake fox fur for your next coat or something. You're not getting it from our dog."

She scowled and pointed angrily at Chad. "Mark my words, boy. I will get all these dogs even if it's the last thing I do! You won't get away with this! You fools! You idiots!" she yelled before storming out the door.

"Good luck with that." he chuckled. Chad had seen all the cartoons; the crazy bad guys never won. They just ended up in the cuckoo hut instead. He turned to what would soon be their new pet and smiled. "I'd better go tell Tay the good news huh?"

She wagged her tail and ran around in circles, barking happily.

**Cruella, Cruella De Vil**

Taylor looked at Chad when she saw him come back over to her. "What happened? What did they say?"

Chad smiled, ready to embrace her reaction. "We got the dog."

Her eyes widened, "No way!"

"Yes way!" he grinned.

"Chad that's amazing!" she exclaimed wrapping her arms around her.

"It only took all day but we finally got the perfect dog!" Chad said hugging her back. "you so owe me for chasing that crazy head out of here."

Taylor giggled. "Alright, alright, I'll be sure to personally thank you tonight after our baby's asleep."

Chad raised an eyebrow from confusion. "What baby?"

Taylor placed a hand on her hip and just stared at him.

Chad nodded, catching on much more quickly this time. "Oh, you mean the dog!"

"The dog that we have to name." she corrected.

He scratched the back of his head, "I guess we can't call it Max huh?"

"Even if it were short for Maxine, we're not naming her Max." Taylor shook her head.

"What about Rufus?" Chad asked.

"Boy's name." she responded.

"Spot?"

"That's half the dog's names on the planet."

"Patch?"

"Alright, now you're just copying One Hundred and One Dalmatians."

"You got a better name?"

Taylor thought for a minute. "Oprah?"

Chad laughed. "Sorry Tay, if I have to say anything about it, we're not naming our dog after a talk show host."

"So you want a more common name for a dog, like Spunky?" Taylor guessed.

"Actually my mom had a parrot named Spunky once..." he replied.

Taylor shook her head before glancing at their new puppy. Frank was taking her out of the cage and getting her set up in a leash so they could walk her home. She couldn't help but giggle as she watched the almost hyper pup.

"She looks like a Milkshake." Taylor noticed.

Chad laughed. "Milkshake? I come up with the most typical dog names ever and you pull Milkshake from out of nowhere?" He shook his head and then watched the dog run around in circles. He blinked and watched in near disbelief. "Wow, she does look like a Milkshake."

"Told you." Taylor giggled.

"Alright, let's see what she thinks." Chad said. He patted his knees, "Milkshake! Come here girl."

The dog looked right at Chad and didn't waste any time running over. Not only did she jump right into his arms but she knocked him down right to the floor. Then she just sat down on his chest panting and wagging her tail.

Taylor smiled and sat down at their level. "Milkshake it is then."

"Alright, her name's Milkshake." Chad gave in. Then he looked up at Taylor, "...So then when do those kids get to meet her?"

* * *

Finally, it's done! I worked on this for a couple of hours, took a break, then went back in and finished it. As usual, I hope it turned out to your liking. I was planning on using this song, it was just a matter of when I'd come up with a good story to go with it. Anyway it'll probably be a while before another chapter goes up. But as far as Cinderella goes, for those of you reading, I did get started on the next chapter but haven't had a chance to continue it. I got like right in the middle of the song in there before quitting that night and then...well, going to school and ending up sick a day later. Whatchya gonna do, right? Anyway, this took me the rest of my birthday to do so hopefully it was worth it. And I hope you all had a good VDay (it was just a regular day for me, really). And I hope those of you still in school are not dying...unlike me which might eventually happen. Trying to make a joke here. One last thing about this chapter...do you guys think I really put in Cruella De Vil or not? Cause that mean devil lady was awfully Cruella-like. 0=) I'll leave you guys to what you guys do then. So until next time, read, relax, review, don't get in trouble, eat some food, work but without working your butt off, and enjoy! C=


	42. Who Knows Best?

Ok so I know I haven't updated these oneshots in literally forever. It was a combination of writer's block, school, and interning. Needless to say that senior year of college is extremely crazy. I would have started to update some of my stories after graduation but then I was away in Israel on birthright for almost two weeks...even crazier. But I'm back on now, updates on anything will probably not be too frequent but I will try to update a lot more than usual. For the time being I'm getting over my jet lag and preparing to search for a job so until I am working full time I should have more time to update. As usual, I do not own anything HSM or Disney related. Enjoy the oneshot!

* * *

Damion Rueben's motorcycle pulled up to the curb in front of the Danforth household. He placed the vehicle in park and off the back hopped Jasmine Danforth. She removed the helmet and placed it on the seat behind Damion. After removing her backpack from the sidecar she turned to the seventeen-year-old and placed her hand on her hip.

"Thanks for driving me home from school," she said with a smile.

"No problem, babe," Damion replied. He took off his helmet and flashed a smile at her. "So what do you say to inviting me in?"

"Come again…?" Jasmine asked, a bit of confusion evident in her voice.

Damion shrugged. "It's just that you've been over to my place tons of times before. The 'rents let you call them by their first names. I drive you home every other day and you never let me in once. Don't I get to meet your folks? We are practically dating."

"Oh…well…. See the thing is…" Jasmine hesitated through her sentence, attempting to conjure up a decent response. "It's just that now's not really a good time."

Damion's face fell. "You always say that."

"Maybe next time would be better," Jasmine suggested.

"And that always comes next. Look if you don't want me around your folks then tell me now," Damion said.

"No, it's not that," Jasmine replied quickly, "it's just that my parents can be really overprotective. I've hardly hinted at all that I was interested in guys so if I suddenly show up with a guy and tell them 'hey Mom, hey Dad, meet my boyfriend' then it's going to sound really weird."

"You don't have to make up stories like that," Damion sighed.

"I'm not," Jasmine responded.

"Whatever. Look, I gotta go. I'll call you later," he said. Damion put his helmet back on and then drove off. Jasmine sighed. She draped her backpack over her shoulder and tied her dark curly hair into a ponytail. She walked up to the porch of her house and stepped inside only to be greeted instantly by her little brother.

"Hey Jazz, who was that boy out there?" Colton asked quickly.

Jasmine nearly jumped back, caught off guard completely. "Boy…? What boy?"

"That boy on the cool bike!" Colton exclaimed. "Do Mom and Dad know?"

"Colton, stop being so loud!" Jasmine begged.

"MOM! JAZZ HAD A BOY OUTSIDE THAT SHE WAS GONNA MAKE OUT WITH!" Colton screamed.

"Colton you little weasel!" Jasmine's jaw dropped.

"Colton, no yelling," Taylor said. She descended the staircase into the living room with a Blackberry to her ear and a laptop tucked under her arm. "I'm going to have to call you back," she said into the phone before shutting it off. She placed her phone in her pocket and the laptop on the coffee table. Folding her arms she looked at her children quizzically. "Now what's this about a boy I'm hearing?"

"N-nothing, Mom," Jasmine lied. "There was no boy outside. Colton was making it up. He…he must be hallucinating. Yup, I think he's got another fever."

"I'm not!" Colton insisted. "I really saw a boy out there! Jazz was talking to him and everything! And he had a super cool bike!"

Taylor knelt down to Colton's level. She brushed his curly bangs out of his face and placed her hand to his forehead. She shook her head, "You don't feel warm at all. But you really should be resting your voice."

Colton jerked out of Taylor's light grasp. "I feel better now, really! And I'm not making it up neither!" There was a brief silence before a cough escaped the ten-year-old's mouth.

"Sure you are," Taylor replied doubtfully. "Why don't you go upstairs and get some more rest?"

"Cause I'm not sleepy!" he argued.

Taylor shook her head and picked him up. She then turned her attention to Jasmine. "So there was a boy outside now, was there?"

"No there wasn't!" Jasmine lied once more.

Taylor quirked an eyebrow and stared at her daughter. Jasmine placed her hands behind her back and looked away. She met her mother's gaze once more and shook her head. Taylor repeated Jasmine's name in a suspecting, doubtful tone once more before Jasmine groaned and gave in.

"Ok, so there kinda was," she admitted.

"I told ya!" Colton bragged.

"Yes you did," Taylor nodded. "But Jasmine, why would you lie about having a boy outside? What was going on?"

"He…well, he was driving me home from school. Like he does every other day. He…Damion's his name…well he's…he's sort…kinda…my boyfriend," Jasmine explained.

There was a moment of silence as Taylor tried to take in the sudden news of the relationship. Before she could completely digest it and respond Colton looked up at her and immediately asked, "Can I beat him up?"

Taylor giggled and rubbed his head, "Maybe when you're older, if this boy does something bad. Until then, leave any beating up to your father." She then turned back to Jasmine, "How long has this been going on for?"

"Couple of months," she answered quietly.

"So why didn't you tell us this before?" Taylor asked.

"I was afraid of how you and Dad would react," Jasmine answered. "I knew you guys would get overprotective and throw all these questions at Damion. And I didn't wanna hear that I can't ever see him again."

"Now why would either of us tell you that?" Taylor asked.

"I dunno," Jasmine grunted.

Taylor sat on the couch and placed Colton in her lap. She patted the seat next to her. "If you really think that then why don't you come sit over here? There's a story I think you need to hear."

"Oh boy! Story time!" Colton cheered.

Jasmine raised an eyebrow but sat beside her mom. "A story? Now? But why?"

"Because I was the same way when I was your age," she explained. "It was right around the time I started dating your dad. My mother didn't approve of me dating at all and she certainly didn't approve of him."

"Did she ever kick his butt?" Colton asked.

"Not exactly," Taylor shook her head.

"Why didn't Grandma like Dad?" Jasmine wondered.

"Because she was this renowned doctor and I was her daughter. She wanted me to got o medical school and become a surgeon like she was," Taylor said. "To do that I had to put all my attention into school and get any idea of dating out of my head. And it certainly didn't help that your dad played basketball. My mom thought they were some of the most arrogant people around who cared more about partying and making money than anything else. But she couldn't understand that what I saw him in was something completely different."

**Why would he like you, come on now, really**

**Look at you, you think that he's impressed?**

**Don't be a dummy**

**Come with mummy**

_It was nearly midnight on a Friday. It was junior year in high school and Taylor was just getting home. She snuck into her house and quietly closed the door behind her. Moments after placing her backpack on the chair the living room light flashed on and there in the recliner sat her mother. Tanya McKessie was still in her uniform from that day, obviously having performed numerous procedures as usual. Her brown eyes pierced through Taylor as she didn't waste any time before questioning where her daughter had been._

"_You're home late. Where have you been?"_

"_I was out," Taylor answered shortly. It wasn't like this was something she hadn't practiced before. For months Taylor had gotten home later on the weekends but was able to avoid confrontation with her mother because of work hours. Often times when Tanya was home she would be tired and Taylor could get away with simply saying she was out or plainly saying she was at the library studying with a friend. Unfortunately her mother was not buying it this time._

"_Where?" she questioned._

"_At the library with Gabriella," Taylor said._

"_Funny. You left your cell phone here today," Tanya responded. "Gabriella called looking for you. Try again."_

"_I was studying. Then I went to buy dinner."_

"_You left your medical books here. Now I'll ask one last time. Where. Were. You?"_

"_Mom…"_

"_Taylor McKessie, answer me right now."_

_Taylor groaned. "I was at the park with Chad. Then he took me to dinner and we sat on the beach for an hour."_

_Tanya made a disgusted face. "Chad? You mean the bushy haired basketball player? You said you hated him."_

"_He's not just a basketball player," Taylor argued. "And I only said I hated him to make you happy. I don't hate him. At all. We've been dating for six months."_

_Mrs. McKessie rose from her seat. "When did _this_ happen?"_

"_After the championship game. At the after party," Taylor answered defiantly. "Chad asked me out and I said yes and we had a great time. We've been dating ever since."_

"_Taylor you know how I feel about him."_

"_How you feel about him, or how you feel about athletes?"_

"_What have you been doing with him?"_

"_We hang out. We study together. We go to dinner. What else do boyfriends and girlfriends do?"_

"_Taylor how could you do this? You're jeopardizing your future!"_

_Taylor's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? How am I endangering my future?"_

_Tanya folded her arms. "We agreed that you will be attending medical school after you graduate. You were to focus on your studies. Boys were not meant to be a priority, especially not some thick-headed cavemen who think they're more important!"_

"_More important than what?" she questioned. "You don't know anything about him!"_

"_I know enough that you should be staying away from him," she argued._

"_This wasn't planned, Mother! It just happened!" Taylor groaned._

"_Stop fighting me, Taylor," she replied. "You need to end this doomed relationship immediately."_

"_Why?" Taylor asked. "Being with Chad has done absolutely nothing to negatively affect my schooling! I've been a straight A student. I've been to every one of my club meetings. I haven't skipped a single class. I've done nothing wrong!"_

"_Not yet, but just you wait. He'll turn it all around for you."_

"_No he won't!"_

"_Taylor, you are to end this instantly."_

"_No."_

_Tanya tossed Taylor's cell phone to her. "Call that boy right now and tell him it's over."_

_Taylor grasped her cell phone tightly and shook her head. "No," she repeated. Taylor had hardly ever argued with her mother about everything. She was a good student; she remained a good student for herself and for her mother. She wanted to go into science or politics; she was going to medical school for her mother. She had done nearly everything her mother told her to. She'd joined those clubs, taken those classes, researched the field and already looked at the best medical schools in the country. Taylor had agreed to all that because it was what her mother wanted but Chad was the one thing that she was going to fight about no matter what her mother said about him or their relationship._

"_Why are you fighting me so much, Taylor?" her mother questioned._

"_Because I love him." Her answer was simple. She was it without hesitation, without fear and without any doubt. She had enough being in her mother's shadow for so long and if there were one thing she could do or have of her own, it would be Chad._

"_You can't know if you love someone in only six months, especially not some Neanderthal!" she exclaimed._

"_I can," she replied simply._

"_No you can't! He is only using you, Taylor, how can you not see that?" Tanya fought. "What have I taught you? That athletes are on the lowest perimeter of the evolutionary scale! That boy is only using you for your smarts so he can stay on the team and not drop out of high school like the low life that he is! What could he possibly see in you?"_

"_Excuse me?" Taylor gasped. Had she just heard her mother right? Was she seriously implying that there was nothing about Taylor that anyone could like? Whether she was her mother or not this woman surely had another thing coming. "First of all, he happens to be very smart. B+ student. Worst subject is Math. Yes, he gets into trouble. But he participates and speaks his mind and no matter what he's being taught looks at things from every side. Second of all, who cares how smart he is if he treats me right? We have trust and communication. He convinces me to try new things. He helps me and makes me feel better when I'm down and he protects me. He does things for me just like I do things for him. You can say whatever you want about me, I don't care. But if you're going to go make assumptions about Chad that I know are wrong then you're sorely mistaken." She turned on her heel towards the door._

"_Where do you think you're going?" her mother yelled._

"_I'm going to go see Chad," Taylor said. "Whether you like it or not." And she slammed the door behind her._

**Rapunzel knows best**

**Rapunzel's so mature now**

**Such a clever grown-up miss**

**Rapunzel knows best**

**Fine, if you're so sure now**

**Go ahead then, give him this**

_Half an hour later Taylor sat on the beach, the tide brushing up against her feet. She sat with her legs pulled in to her chest and she stared into the wet sand blankly. The argument with her mother was still fresh in her mind; Taylor was unsure if she felt more discomfort in being around her mother or listening to the things her mother said. But when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her Taylor instantly relaxed. She let go of her legs and leaned up against Chad's chest._

"_Hey," he greeted softly, his chin resting against her soft locks._

"_Hey," she responded quietly. "Thanks for meeting me."_

"_Any time," Chad said with a nod. "Are you ok?"_

_Taylor shook her head._

"_Do you wanna talk about it?" he wondered._

"_I don't know," Taylor sighed. She then felt his hand trace down her arm and then intertwine fingers with hers. A slight smile escaped her lips as she then moved her free hand onto his other arm and held it tightly. "I told my mom about us."_

"_You did?" he asked, a bit surprised to hear that. "What happened to you wanting to keep it a secret? Not wanting her to find out and all?"_

"_She caught me coming in late. I had to spill it," Taylor admitted._

"_So I take it, it didn't go well," Chad said._

_Taylor shook her head. "She fed me the whole lecture about how I need to focus on school. That not only were boys a distraction but athletes were the worst of the worst. She knows nothing about you and because of her experience she automatically assumes you're like all the others. Selfish, arrogant, heartless, using someone only for their brains…"_

"_Hey I know I can be a little cocky sometimes buy I'm not stupid," Chad stated._

"_I know," she nodded._

"_So what happened?" he asked._

"_It's not what happened, but what's going to happen. She's going to make me choose," Taylor said._

_Chad became more puzzled. "Choose between what?"_

"_You and her, I suppose. She'll probably tell me that she's been around the block, she knows how everything goes and I should listen to her. That I need to listen to everything she tells me. Mother knows best," she said. She then scoffed, "Mother knows best. Yeah, right. Because Mother knows when a guy will like me or that medicine is the only career for me or that I'm better off on my own living her way."_

"_You know none of that is true," Chad pointed out._

"_Exactly," Taylor agreed. "But she has ways of turning it all around to make her look like the good guy and any choice I make on my own seem wrong. Like if I choose you she'll turn it into all these bad things you'll do and then she'll have to be there to pick up the pieces and I'll look like nothing more than some stupid love-struck schoolgirl." She closed her eyes and her grip on Chad tightened, "It sounds like a lot to handle, I know. I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to go. You didn't ask to be part of this mother/daughter drama. I'm sure it's the last thing you want to deal with."_

_Chad let go of Taylor. He moved so he was sitting in front of her and then wrapped his arms around her. He rested his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. "It's not too much for me to handle. Ok, yeah, it's a lot but it's not too much. You told me about this going in and I chose to stick with it. I don't care what she tells you or what she says about me or us. I love you. And if it turns out I have to end up fighting for you then I will."_

_He didn't have to say much. He didn't have to do anything more than just hold her. But just those two things made Taylor feel better. And it made her decision all the more simple._

**This is why he's here**

**Don't let him deceive you**

**Give it t him, watch, you'll see**

**Trust me, my dear**

**That's how fast he'll leave you**

**I won't say I told you so**

_Taylor stormed into her house with Chad behind her. Mrs. McKessie had been waiting by the recliner the whole time. As soon as they entered she rose from her seat and continued her vindictive reign._

"_What's _he_ doing here?"_

"_Helping me pack," Taylor answered shortly._

_Tanya's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"_

"_You heard her. I'm helping her pack," Chad answered._

_Tanya pointed at him, "You don't speak for my daughter!"_

"_You're right. He doesn't," Taylor said. "He was reiterating. And you don't speak for me either, Mother. Not anymore."_

"_What did you just say to me?" Tanya questioned._

_Taylor glanced at Chad, "Can you please grab some of my things upstairs? I need to finish this with my mother. Now."_

_Chad nodded and went upstairs. Tanya, however, remained furious. She pointed in his direction and yelled at Taylor, "He does not go anywhere in this house! What do you think you're doing bringing him here?"_

"_I don't think, I know. And I know I'm leaving," she answered._

_Tanya's rampage went on. "He put you up to this, didn't he? I knew he was no good! I told you, Taylor. All men are the same! That little boy has brainwashed you into thinking it was a good idea to leave so he can support you and you don't have to do anything…. It's all lies, Taylor! The second he finds someone smarter and prettier than you he's going to drop you and then you'll have nowhere to go! And who's fault is it going to me? Yours!"_

"_Chad didn't put me up to anything. It's my decision," Taylor asserted. "And you know what? Just because YOU had a horrible experience with men…not just athletes, all men…you think you can push your ideals and thoughts of them on me. You think they're all the same and now you're trying to brainwash me. Maybe when you were with a basketball player he dropped you like a bag of garbage but it was because he was nothing like Chad and you're sure as hell nothing like me." Taylor had nothing left to say to her mother. She could go on and on about all the pressure and anger that built up inside because of her mother but she knew it would do no good. It wasn't any of that that mattered anymore. And she certainly wasn't going to let her mother get another word in. She brushed past Tanya and went upstairs to her room where Chad was putting the last of her clothes on her bed._

"_Am I missing anything?" he asked._

"_Not at all," Taylor shook her head. She pulled her suitcase from inside her closet and instantly packed as much as she could into it. She didn't even bother to pack everything; she packed what she needed and, with Chad's help, she was done in a matter of minutes. She zipped the suitcase up and Chad helped her bring it downstairs._

"_You're going to be sorry, Taylor!" Tanya yelled after her. "He's going to leave you and you'll have nothing left! Who are you going to turn to then? I am your mother; I know what's best for you! Get your filthy *ss back in here or you will regret this day forever!"_

_The door slammed in front of Tanya, cutting her off. Chad unlocked his car and put Taylor's luggage in his trunk. Taylor leaned against the car and sighed with relief. She ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes._

"_How are you feeling?" Chad asked, walking back to her._

_Taylor nodded and opened her eyes, smiling seeing Chad standing in front of her. "Never better."_

_The two of them embraced and kissed underneath the moonlight and then got in the car and drove off, not once looking back._

**No, Rapunzel knows best**

**So if he's such a dreamboat**

**Go and put him to the test**

**If he's lying**

**Don't come crying**

**Mother knows best**

"Well that was a boring story," Colton folded his arms in disappointment. "There was no fighting."

"But I don't get it, Mom," Jasmine said. "What was the point of the story?"

"The point is having to be open to the idea of your daughter dating someone you never imagined them with," Taylor answered. "My mother never once imagined me with an athlete and I never pictured you with someone who rode a motorcycle. The difference is that she was so against the idea that she did everything in her power to change my mind and it ultimately drove me away. Someone who you're told about may look or sound like a bad guy but that doesn't mean they are. Your father and I will always be protective of you, no matter who you're dating. But if he makes you happy then we're not going to stop you from seeing him."

"So…I take it that means you're gonna wanna meet Damion then?" Jasmine wondered.

"It would sure be nice, but when you're ready," she assured her. "We don't want you to feel like you have to sneak around with someone behind our backs."

"Cause then I'll really beat em up!" Colton declared.

"I suppose you will," Jasmine admitted. She thought about it, and then nodded. "I guess I should call Damion and talked to him about this then, huh?"

Taylor nodded.

"Thanks Mom," Jasmine said hugging her.

"You're welcome," Taylor replied with a smile. "Now on your way up can you please put Colton to bed and try to get him to take another nap? I'm going to finish my work down here."

"Sure thing," Jasmine nodded. She took Colton and the two of them headed upstairs. Taylor remained on the couch and opened up her laptop, resuming the work that she had started earlier that day. She went into her email and noticed a message from her mother. Taylor cringed at the sight of it. Luckily it wasn't too long after that that Chad walked in the front door.

"I'm home," he greeted with a smile.

Taylor looked up at him and smiled. "Hey honey. How was work?"

"Busy, as usual," Chad responded. He sat down next to Taylor and pecked her on the lips. "How are the kids?"

"Colton's feeling a little better," she answered. She paused for a moment to word her next statement right before speaking. "And Jasmine may be bringing home a boy soon."

Chad's eyes widened in shock. "Wait…what?"

Taylor explained to him the situation and he slowly but surely seemed to relax. "So after I shared our story, Jasmine agreed to bring him over one day," she finished after a few minutes.

Chad placed his hand over Taylor's and locked their fingers. "Well I may not be crazy about the idea, but I know we'll sure handle it a lot better. But seriously…. A motorcycle?"

Taylor giggled. "Just give it a chance."

Chad sighed and then nodded. "Alright, I'll try." He promised, kissing her cheek. He then glanced at her computer screen, "An email from your mom?"

Taylor nodded in silence.

"You haven't talked to her in a long time," Chad stated. "Are you gonna open it?"

Taylor clicked the back button and then closed her laptop. "She lost any chance of talking to me twenty years ago. It's her loss."

Chad smiled and pulled her into his lap. He wrapped his arms tight around her, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Taylor smiled. She kissed him and then rested her head on his chest. They remained sitting in each other's embrace, neither one thinking back to that night twenty years ago or to the email. Mother didn't know best after all; but this one sure does.

* * *

Did you enjoy the oneshot? Obviously the song was the reprise of Mother Knows Best from the 50th Disney animated movie Tangled. Awesome movie, by the way. Very funny, very cute. I just happened to have an idea come to me with the song and realize when I was going through my stories, Oh crap I didn't touch this one in ages! So I went with it. I typed it up last night and now I'm posting it. The idea behind this oneshot was to keep it sweet and simple, especially with the Chaylor moments in contrast to the far-from-pleasant moments between Taylor and her mom. I hope that for all you Chaylor lovers this filled a craze you'd been having for them and all you other Chaylor writers, please keep up the fanfics! Lastly I will be spending today working on another chapter of Deleted HSM Scenes Version 2 so I am hoping to have that up by tomorrow. Until the next update have a wonderful day and I hope all you students who are actually going back to school in August/September are enjoying the summer! :)


	43. Hot Stuff

Ok so I know this is one of the last stories I updated in forever, but I've had this idea for about a week now and it's really been bugging me. So I decided to turn it into a songfic for this. It was hard to come up with a song to match it but I think the one I used works. This was a really weird oneshot for me to write, too. If any of you guys read my Army Wife story, then you know that has probably the closest thing to M rated I ever wrote. This oneshoe is a close second, I'd say definitely between high T and low M. So if any of it is awkward like with the wording or the images, I do apologize since it's not something I'm used to writing. But what can I say, my mind is weird. So all ratings aside, I hope it's a chapter you'll enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or any Disney songs.

* * *

_Look at me  
You may think you see  
Who I really am_

I woke up with the sun in my face and his arm draped around me. We'd been doing it again, the late night meetings. They were more frequent now. That was because every time he called I'd come rushing over in a heartbeat. It didn't matter how petty or how loud the fight was. As soon as she left he would call me and I'd come right over. It was a straight run this time.

I wasn't even sure why it mattered; none of these girls ever lasted. He moved too fast with them. He only wanted them for the sex. That was why he always wanted his new girlfriend to move in with him right away. But no matter how good or how bad they were in bed, a fight would always ensue. I was unsure if it was him or the girl that more often started them, but it didn't matter. All he had to do was say the same two sentences to me.

"We had another fight. Can you come over?"

_But you never know me_

I had never been one of those girls; the ones that he would hit on and take home. But we did meet at the same place he often picked them up. I'd met Chad some years ago at a bar. I was just there with some friends to celebrate a bachelorette party; before I knew it Chad had walked up to me and started sweet-talking me. He was such a good looker. He had these big brown eyes, like a pair of sweet puppy dog eyes you couldn't help but fall for. His smile was full of charm and charisma, almost never getting wiped off his face. And his body…god, don't get me started on that. It was so obvious that he worked out. I could practically see his six-pack underneath his shirt. He even let me feel his muscles that night; he was so built. And if it weren't any of those that could get a woman swooning over him, he would work in a joke about his chocolate-coated Afro of a hairdo into the conversation. I'd fallen for him in an instant.

Of course I couldn't just act like my typical self. I'm what some might call a geek. For the past couple of years I've been working on getting my Master's in Political Science. I spent my days in the library studying, ordering Chinese takeout and hardly ever going anywhere. Maybe once in a while if I had some free time I would hit the gym for an hour. Needless to say, if I wanted to impress this man I'd have to create a new persona. I easily adopted this seductress style; I'd seen my friends pull it off many a time in the past. But of course even with my movements, seducing smile and sexy voice Chad could still see through me. He knew I was brilliant. He didn't dare try to do me as quickly as he would most girls.

But we did end up talking. We talked for hours. Of course I wished he wouldn't have gone on so much about all his ex-girlfriends. But when he brought up a fight he had with his most recent one and how she dumped him, how he was trying to get over it, there was no stopping us after that. Apparently I was good. Really good. But I was more ecstatic to hear that I made him feel better; got his mind off of his troubles. The rest is history. No matter how many girlfriends he got after that night or what kind of fights he would have with them, within five seconds of them leaving his house Chad would be on the phone with me.

_Everyday  
It's as if I play a part_

I know it's wrong, being the "other woman" and helping Chad cheat. But it's the only way I can ever be with him. It never affects my studies; it never changed my life. It just added an addicting drug of sorts to it. I think what makes me feel better about the whole situation is that I'm the only one he cheats with.

Oh, he tried to get away with other women once; when I came over one night and we landed on the couch I saw a pair of thongs between the cushions. I questioned Chad about it; he said I hadn't been available that night and he needed someone. Oh, I gave it to him after that. You might say I gave it to him...good. Very good.

There hadn't been any others after that; I would have seen. I'm a very observant person. I knew where to look and how to act. I think that's why none of his girlfriends ever caught us. But I know I can't keep putting up this charade; sooner or later Chad will find out how I really feel and I'm sure he'll find a girlfriend he'll actually want to keep. A girlfriend that's not me. I can only pray that day will never come. I'll take all I can get from him right now.

_Now I see  
If I wear a mask I can fool the world  
But I cannot fool my heart_

I loved the feeling of Chad's arm around me. But when we fell asleep after going at it all night, he'd never hold me. His arm would drape around me almost in a protective manner, but never as if he never wanted me to leave. I suppose it was the price I paid for never being a girlfriend. But no matter how much I loved being around him or I wanted him, all good things had to come to an end. And at ten a.m. on a Friday morning that was the time to end. I slipped out of his light grip and started to get dressed. I tried my best to keep quiet, not wanting to wake Chad. I knew if I woke him up, it would be much harder to leave. He would start talking in his ever so sexy voice and look at me with those eyes and shoot me that smile; I'd never want to leave then. But as usual, I was mistaken.

"Leaving so soon?"

I almost flinched at the sound of his voice. It was smooth and laid back, but enough to throw a girl off track. I wasn't about to leave so easily anymore, despite the fact that I had to go home and shower and get to campus in time for my class at one. But instead of showing him how he affected me, I continued dressing myself and let my seductive side take over.

"I've got somewhere else to be," I answered.

"You can't stay a little longer? What if I need more medicine?" he asked.

That was our thing last night; it was a roleplay night of sorts. I'd say his "medicine" lasted for a good five or six hours.

"Shouldn't your girlfriend be coming home soon?" I replied.

I hated that word. Girlfriend. It stung every time I said it.

"And what if I don't want her to?" he replied.

I turned slightly to look at him. He was staring at me with a lusty set of eyes and a sad smile – almost a smirk – like he knew I would have trouble saying no to that. I paused for a minute before slipping my shirt back on. I then turned around completely and placed a steamy, passionate kiss against his lips. I knew he was going to reciprocate; I felt his hands on my arms immediately. He wasn't going to want to let me go after that. I could tell I was turning him on. And that was why I pulled back as quickly as possibly, flashing him a seductive smile.

"That's all you're going to get…for now," I said with a wink.

"What about tonight?" he asked.

"I can come over at seven," I answered.

"Not soon enough," he shook his head, clearly hungry.

I pretended to think for a moment, teasing him. "I can do six forty-five."

I think he was on to me; he could tell I knew he wanted more and I was just playing with him. Chad could lose control easily when he was hungry for more. I think that's why he loved having me around so much; he could tell I knew when he was pushing his limits. I tested him. I pushed him to those limits. Sometimes he could get it really easily from me. But when he tried – with words or physical contact – he knew I was satisfied and would give it right back to him.

A smile crept across Chad's face, though his eyes were still glazed over with lust. "I see what you're doing," he said smoothly. "So what can I do to get you here sooner?"

"I don't know," I feigned innocence, "any sooner would be cutting it pretty close."

He placed his hand on my leg, gradually sliding it up, and leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "I can make it worth your while."

I practically shivered at the sound of his voice. I almost thought he was going to start kissing me there or something; it was the only other place he'd kiss me besides my lips. He knew if he kissed there I would lose it. Hell, I was already losing it; his hand was approaching my inner thigh and his breath was hot on my ear. If I didn't answer fast there was no way I'd ever get out of there. As if I ever wanted to.

"Five o'clock. And I get to pick where we do it."

_Who is that girl I see  
Staring straight back at me?_

_When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?_

It felt strange, being at school and doing work when I was practically someone else at home. Not like anyone knew about it - I had a house all to myself that my parents paid for and as far as my friends were considered, I was always too busy to see them. But I wanted to be able to combine the two lives I had – the one as a geek and the one with Chad. Maybe then I wouldn't feel the way I did. I wouldn't be so concerned with one side overpowering the other.

But if anything was overpowering me, it was Chad. Sometimes I told myself that I should break it off with him. He didn't love me; he used me for sex. Why should I waste my time with someone like that? Other times I would keep telling myself that sooner or later he'd have to realize how I felt. I guess it was the naivety in me thinking I could change him.

_I am now  
In a world where I have to hide my heart  
And what I believe in_

I pulled up to Chad's at five o'clock on the dot. All of my schoolwork was done and I had the weekend to study for an exam. Walking up to Chad's porch I questioned how we would be tonight. Would it be "we had another fight" or "she broke up with me"? I shrugged my shoulders at the thought; there really wasn't much difference. In either instance we would get pretty wild. The only difference was how many times we would go at it. If he was in a relationship, we'd make one round last as long as possible. If it was a breakup, we could go as many as four or five times.

I didn't even get an answer as to what happened right away. As soon as I walked in the door, Chad's lips attacked mine. The next thing I knew I was up against the door in a hot fog.

_But somehow  
I will show the world what's inside my heart_

It must have been a good two or three hours later. We ended up on the floor, hardly any clothes removed. I was on top of him with my nails dug into his skin and he was sweating up a storm.

"Have you been working out or something?" he asked, clearly out of breath.

I smirked. "Don't act so surprised, honey. It's not the first time I pushed you down."

"Yeah, but never that hard," he breathed. He added with a grin, "I'm impressed."

"You better be. I work hard to make you forget about your girlfriends," I responded.

It still stung to say that.

"You make me want to forget them," he said.

"And what did she do this time that was so bad?" I purred.

"Stormed out again," he answered simply. "I have half a mind to break up with her next time she walks in."

"Only half?" I questioned curiously.

That's when he smirked and sent the seductive voice right back at me. "Cause the other half of my mind is undressing the rest of you."

He wanted more. As did I.

I grinned and batted my eyelashes as little. "Well, I was supposed to pick where we did it next. But I don't remember thinking the living room floor."

"Where did you have in mind?" he inquired.

I slowly lifted myself off of him and headed to the staircase. I turned to him and flicked my finger in his direction. "Why don't you follow me and you'll find out?"

He loyally got up and approached me. But instead of taking my hand to follow me up, he wrapped his fingers around mine and pulled my hand down, giving him more than enough space to move in centimeters away from my face.

"One condition," he said hungrily.

I shook my head. "There are no conditions, hun."

"But I want something of yours," he told me.

"To give her a reason to break up with you, or to remember me by?" I inquired.

"To give you an excuse to come back," he smirked.

"Oh, I've had an excuse to come back," I teased. "That Lakers shirt of yours I borrowed last week; you still have to get it back."

_And be loved for who I am_

I had a difficult time studying after that. I spent all of Friday night and most of Saturday at Chad's. His girlfriend hadn't come back so there was no reason for me to leave. I don't think I ever stayed at Chad's for more than 24 hours before then. And the longer I stayed the harder it would be to leave. I almost didn't care if she walked in the door and saw us. I don't think it had gotten that far either; I never thought like that before. It was the point where I realized this had to stop. I either had to end it myself or tell Chad the truth about me and let him decide. But I couldn't do it, not on Saturday. I just didn't have the courage to. I don't even remember the excuse I used to leave; I only know that I got out of there and went home to start studying for my test, though to avail.

_Who is that girl I see  
Staring straight back at me?  
Why is my reflection someone I don't know?_

"My girlfriend broke up with me."

I was hoping not to hear those words. It was only Sunday morning and I had a lot of studying to catch up on. Yet it didn't bother me nearly as much as a reminder of telling Chad. He thought he was giving me an excuse to come over but really it was just an excuse for me to end it. I didn't even have time to think how to tell him. Should I just flat out end it with no explanation? Or was it better off that I tell him I wasn't the sexy enchantress he thought I was and that I was nothing more than a grad student?

"I'm sorry," I responded, no other idea what to say.

There was a brief pause; I'm assuming he was processing my reaction. It certainly wasn't one he was used to hearing from me.

"Can you come over?" he asked after a moment.

I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know…"

"I'm lonely. I need cheering up," he replied.

I inhaled. I didn't want to break this over the phone, but if I went there it was going to be even harder to get two words in. "Chad I can't-" I started.

"Don't make me call someone else," he interrupted.

My breath must have been caught in my throat. That was the only reason he would bed someone who wasn't me. If I wasn't available. It was hard enough knowing all those other women he was with, when he was with them. But to imagine him with a total stranger doing what I've been doing… I didn't want to picture it let alone hear it.

"Don't," I shook my head. "I'll be right over."

"I'll be waiting," I'm sure he replied with a grin.

I hung up the phone and exhaled. All that was left to decide was if I would tell him before or after. And as much as I would have loved to have him do me just one more time, I had to get it over with.

_Must I pretend that I'm  
Someone else for all times?  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?_

I braced myself to feel Chad against me the second I walked in. And surely enough there he was, arms tight on my hips and lips crashed against mine. But no matter how much I tried to prepare myself for this I couldn't help but return the kiss with everything I had. He was still my drug; I still needed him. But when I felt his hand go for my skirt, I had to stop. Even when I put my hands on his arms and pushed him away the slightest bit, his lips were still going for mine. It was extremely difficult to let myself go and kiss him again.

"We have to stop."

_There's a hear that must be free  
To fly  
That burns with a need to know  
The reason why_

"We haven't even got started yet," he breathed.

"No, I know," I replied. "There's just…there's something I have to tell you."

"Can't it wait?" he asked. He even tried to go for my ear. God, he was trying so hard with me.

I pulled back and held my hands up. "It's waited long enough." I looked up at him and saw his confused look. It was enough to stop him, at least for the time being. "Chad…look, I haven't been honest with you."

"And I haven't been honest with every girl I dated," he pointed out. "What's honesty got to do with us?"

Implying we never would date.

I opened my mouth, attempting to piece the words together. It was difficult. His confused look, his tilted head, his lusting eyes…. I couldn't just spill everything out to him. That'd make it too complicated. It was best just to keep it short and simple.

"You wouldn't be doing me if you knew who I was," I said.

"I think that's for me and my junk to decide," he responded. "And right now it's deciding loud and clear who it wants."

I backed away before he could make a move on me. "I think I knew you well enough by now, Chad. But you don't know me."

"What's there to know?" he asked as if it were no big deal.

"I guess nothing," I shrugged my shoulders after a moment. It pained me to say all of this, but I knew it was true. "I'm just a toy to you. I'm not some floozy. I'm not an airhead. I'm not a stripper or some girl with daddy issues. Those are the kinds of girls you go after, Chad. Not students."

And yet he was still lost. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm a college student, Chad. I'm not working some random job living in a bachelor pad. And clearly that's all you want," I explained. I didn't want to say anymore after that. I turned to leave, figuring that my actions would speak louder than my words. And if I left, I wouldn't have to worry about being tempted by him. I could walk out now, go home, delete his number and ignore his calls. And he could go find another girl to cheat on his girlfriends with.

But Chad had other plans. He just had to get one more word out before I walked out of his life forever.

"One question," he said almost too calmly, which had me stop. "Why tell me this now?"

Did he really want to know? Was he really expecting me to pour my heart out to him? I couldn't just tell him everything. I couldn't tell him that I wanted him to tell me now if I was going to stay in his life no matter what. I couldn't tell him that I felt I kept the real me hidden too long or that I felt he only liked me for my fake persona or my body. I couldn't tell him that the thought of being the one girlfriend he could have that he was never cheat on and seeing him jump from girl to girl yet always calling me was finally driving me over the edge. I couldn't tell him that I was secretly hoping he liked smart girls and would just take me in his arms and that he felt the same way about me that I did about him the whole time.

"I just couldn't take it anymore," I said hoarsely.

And that was all I could say before running out.

_Why must we all conceal  
What we think,  
How we feel?_

Needless to say after that night I did not do well on my test. And quite frankly I didn't care. I had just left the one guy who I'd been head over heels with for years and I was never going to see him again and he could have as many girlfriends as he wanted and cheat with whoever he wanted. I tried my best to bury myself in my homework. It was a challenge. I didn't even bother to check my phone; I turned it off. I didn't want to hear Chad's voice or be tempted to run back into his arms. So I sat in my living room, my nose in a textbook and my thoughts on my next assignment. I scribbled down notes from the latest chapter in my notebook, hoping it would keep me focused. But even once in a while I had to take a breath and write Chad's name in a heart or think about what he might be doing right now.

That is, until a knock at the door completely threw my thoughts off.

_Must there be a secret me  
I'm forced to hide?_

I set my textbook and notebook on the coffee table and approached the door. I opened it, but there was no one there. My first thought was that it was a prank. Then out of curiosity I glanced down. I suppose I was thinking there was a package or something there. But instead they were petals. I think rose petals; they had the delicacy of roses. I reached down and picked one up; it was definitely a rose.

I stood back up and looked down the street where there was a trail of red rose petals. They were leading down the pathway of my house and onto the sidewalk, and then down the street. Whoever was at my door must have wanted me to follow them. Part of me still assumed it was a joke, but curiosity got the better of me.

_I won't pretend that I'm  
Someone else for all times_

It was a bit of a walk, but I did need a workout. I seemed to reach my destination fairly quickly. I didn't look right away where it led me. The first thing I laid my eyes on were a bouquet of red roses at a doorstep. I walked onto the porch and picked up the roses, giving them a little sniff. Whoever set this up certainly went through a lot of trouble. But then I looked up and realized something.

This was Chad's house.

Part of me said to just drop the flowers and go home; I had work to get done and I already told Chad I was finished with him. Then the other part of me said to go for it. And it was just so much harder to listen to my brain than my heart. So naturally I opened the door and walked in. I didn't think there could be a bigger surprise than flower petals leading me to Chad's but I was mistaken. There in the living room, it was completely bare of any furniture. All that was in there was a small round table with a plate of turkey and a slice of black forest cake; in the center of the table were two lit candles and a teddy bear. Cliché perhaps, but cute nonetheless. I slowly stepped inside and closed the door behind me. As if there weren't enough surprises, Chad came walking in from the kitchen. His hair was tied back into a ponytail and…was he wearing a tuxedo? Or maybe it was a blazer. I wasn't really thinking to ask questions at that point. I was still in a bit of shock.

"Wha…what is all this?"

_When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?_

Chad rubbed the back of his head in this cute, almost nervous way. What was he nervous about? Chad always carried himself with the utmost confidence. He knew how to talk his way into things and around them. He had the looks and charisma to back him up. Why did he seem like he was on edge and…perhaps a little sweaty?

"Yeah, I'm not really good with impressing girls," he admitted.

I blinked and my mouth dropped a little. I was attempting to absorb what he was saying. There was a moment of silence before I shook my head in disbelief. "What?"

His hands fell to his sides. "C'mon Taylor, I pick up girls at bars. What does that tell you?"

"But what does all this have to do with…? And how did you even get those petals to stay in place?" I asked.

I'll admit it; I was horrible with surprises. I never know when to expect them or how to react. And I especially don't know how to handle surprises when practically the love of my life is standing dressed in the nicest outfit I'd ever seen him wear with his hair constricted and standing next to a romantic table of turkey and my favorite dessert.

"Super glue," he chuckled.

I looked at him in disbelief.

"Well the wind…it, it kept blowing the petals away," he nearly stammered. "I didn't know how else to get them to stay. And it was either the flowers or post signs onto peoples' property saying 'Taylor follow this sign'."

I couldn't help but giggle. Looks and intimacy aside he certainly was charming and he had a sense of humor to match. It wasn't something I don't think I'd ever seen from him. But I was letting him come onto me too easily. And I think he knew it. Even if I wasn't some seductive sexy woman I was still observant and I still knew when I was being played.

"So why go to all this trouble? Why not put all this energy into getting in bed with one of your future girlfriends?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

He ran a hand through his hair and stuck his other hand in his pocket. He stepped a bit closer to me, but was still being careful to keep some distance. I think he was waiting to see my reaction before doing anything. I'd say Chad got a pretty good idea of his limits now after dealing so much with me.

"Did you ever wonder why I always called you?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow.

He looked at me in the eyes and hesitated before responding. "It's cause I like you," he confessed. "I don't care if you're a stripper or in school or whatever. I was actually able to talk to you about stuff. You know? It wasn't all about sex with you. I'd call you and you'd come over and…well yeah, we'd do it. A lot. Right away. But when you stayed over those nights we'd talk about junk before falling asleep. I don't think I felt that comfortable around anyone before. You just happen to be a sexy down to earth girl who happens to insanely turn me on."

It was impossible for my heart not to melt. Everything I was thinking since I met him, he was practically spilling those same feelings to me. And it was the greatest feeling in the world. Even better than Chad getting me laid. A huge smile did start across my face and I instantly saw Chad become hopeful. But I had to restrain it. There were still some things I wanted to ask him.

"But what about all those other girls?"

He shrugged. "Gave me a reason to see you?"

"Any others?" I inquired.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"That you cheated with. Other than the one I knew about," I answered.

"One or two," he admitted. "But never more than once."

He was surprisingly good at being honest. Like I said, I could tell when I was being lied to. But there was still something else I wanted to know. It seems embarrassing, but I suppose it was my silly, insecure way of knowing if they did mean anything.

"Did you use protection?" I asked softly, a bit awkwardly.

I've seen every inch of Chad's house. I saw when there were condoms on the floor, in the drawers, in the bathroom, even in the kitchen. And not once did he ever reach for one with me.

He squinted a little before answering as-a-matter-of-factly, "Duh." He saw that caught me off guard; he comfortable added, "You're the only one I never use protection with."

"So it wasn't just my alter ego you liked?" I wondered. "Because the person I was pretending to be for you is nothing like the real me."

"She looks like you, talks like you…maybe acts a little more confident…but I'm pretty sure she's not that much different," he explained.

I shook my head doubtfully.

"But if she's as different as you say, I'd like to get to know you. You know…you, you," he said. "Maybe over dinner? The turkey is getting a little cold."

"And how do I know this isn't you taking advantage of an innocent school girl?" I inquired.

Could you blame me for being a bit cautious? I know how he picks up girls. I wanted to know that this was for real and that I wasn't just one of his flings.

But the answer for Chad seemed to come pretty easy, like he had it all planned out. He took his phone out of his pocket and tossed it to me. "Delete them."

"Pardon?" I asked.

"Delete all the girls' numbers in there," he told me.

I looked at the phone, then at him.

"I can't imagine my life without you. Ok, I need you. Not just to tell me wen I've been to hard or when I'm not giving enough or going fast enough, I need to have you around," he said, his eyes in mine. "When you're with me I'm not thinking about whatever girl I was just with or who I'm gonna hook up with or where I'm gonna spend the night. I think about you. What you're gonna say, which room I'm gonna be with you in, how I'm gonna impress you. You're not the only one who's been hiding a part of you, Tay."

It was a lot to take in, a lot to think about. Everything Chad did, one thing after another, made me rethink my life. Who I saw myself with, what I saw myself doing, where I saw myself living. And in every possible instance, nothing was complete without him. I saw myself with Chad. I saw myself doing anything and everything with Chad. I saw myself living with Chad. I saw…just Chad. I needed him the way he needed me. And if anything he was saying was true, then I wouldn't be the one deleting phone numbers. He would.

Still, that didn't mean I could give my answer so easily. Chad was right; my sexy alter ego and I, we did have something in common. We were both teases. So I fiddled with the phone a little. I tapped it against my chin. I toyed with it between my fingers. I even played with a couple of buttons. I fooled with the device as I wandered around Chad and approached the table. It must have dragged on for a good five minutes. All the while, Chad was waiting anxiously for my answer. Every movement I was making, he was hanging onto it. So when I was finally against the table, I figured enough was enough. I dropped the phone and sat up on the table, sending Chad a smile.

"If you're as different as you say you are, I'd like to get to know you," I answered. "How about over dinner?"

I don't think I ever saw Chad smile as big as he did in that moment. He ran over to me and wrapped his arms tightly around me, the way I always imagined he would. And when his lips crashed against mine in a hot passion, it wasn't in some wild, lusty hunger. It was just as it felt – a hot passion. And before I knew it we were getting to know each other over dinner. Literally. Everything was knocked down to the ground – luckily the lit candles were electric and not real candles – and we were on top of the table. It wasn't just about intimacy this time. We talked in between kisses. We explored each other. We teased each other and joked with each other. Screw every other "meeting" we've had; this one was by far the best.

_When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?_

* * *

That's probably the last update you're going to get from me for a bit. I am still working on my newest fic, Negative, which is a co-written story between me and a friend. The first chapter's been up for a few weeks with that story, and my friend is editing the second chapter so as much as I'd love to say you will see another update somewhere this week, I make no promises. There is that "Frankenstorm"/Hurricane Sandy coming to the East, well Northeast, and word is we're supposed to lose power for about a week. I already know I'm going to lose power, cause my block tends to lose electricity extremely easily to begin with. But the point is, with no internet figure it'll be at least a week before you hear something else from me. But I hope this chapter is enough to hold you over and that other awesome people out there are continuing Chaylor stories. And if it's not and you're bored or classes are canceled or whatever, you can always check out stuff that I drew on my deviantart page, Pinkie-d...if it'd help to pass any time at all, i'm just saying. 0=) So before I sign off for a while let me just finish by saying, hope everyone's had a good weekend and have an awesome costume-wearing candy-filled Halloween!

P.S. Maybe I should have thought about actually making a holiday-themed oneshot to go with the time of year. o.0 Sorry about that guys.

P.P.S. I also updated my story list on my profile page, so hopefully I can get to fighting laziness/successfully find a job so I can finish the stories I started and also write the other stories I'm looking forward to sharing eventually. Ok, I'm really signing off now. Again, Happy Halloween people! :D


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